EnerTracks Training Programme 2022 for Climate & Energy Enthusiasts from Developing Countries (Fully Funded to Berlin, Germany)

Application Deadline: January 3rd 2022

Informed specialists play a crucial role in tackling global climate issues and shaping the energy systems of tomorrow. Although energy policy is primarily national policy, all national energy transitions also have a lot in common: international climate commitments, low carbon technologies, traded energy commodities, best practices for regulatory principles, market design, and more.

To foster international expertise and knowledge transfer, Agora Energiewende in cooperation with the Renewables Academy (RENAC) developed the EnerTracks Training Programme.

EnerTracks aims to share sector-specific knowledge with independent thought leaders and support institutions working in the field of the transformation of energy systems in low- and middle-income countries.

EnerTracks is made up of the following training paths, which can be combined or taken individually:

• The EnerTracks Fellowship Programme
• The EnerTracks Study Tour Programmes (virtual or in-person)
• The EnerTracks Online Modules

The EnerTracks Fellowship Programme

A small group of eight fellows is invited to come to the Agora Energiewende office in Berlin, Germany. Each fellow continues working part-time for their home institution while participating in training sessions that are prepared and facilitated by Agora Energiewende energy experts. These multi-disciplinary sessions cover a variety of topics such as energy markets, power system flexibility, and research methodologies, among others. Supplemental online and reading material, as well as group discussions, complement each of these sessions.

With the support of their Agora Energiewende mentors, each fellow tackles one specific transformation topic of their choice. The topic should be relevant from the perspective of the fellow’s own organisation, with the intention of transferring the learnings into their domestic work.

Dates:

Spring 2022:

• 25th April 2022 – 4th June 2022
  • Apply now until 3rd January 2022

Fall 2022:

• November 2022 (exact dates to be confirmed)

• Eligibility criteria
  • Applicants must be a national of an Official Development Aid (ODA recipient) country
  • Due to German regulations, we ask that in-person participants be able to provide proof of complete vaccination protection against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Depending on the place departure, participants might also need to provide a negative test result or proof of immunity, and comply with quarantine regulations. For detailed information about which COVID-19 entry restrictions might apply to your circumstance, please consult to the German Embassy in your country.
  • Applicants must be currently employed or affiliated to a think tank or other civil society organisation and/or an academic body researching energy policy or another relevant field
  • Applicants must have around five years of professional experience in the energy or climate sector at the time of application. We’re looking for participants with leadership potential who are at a “tipping point” stage in their careers, rather than those who fit a particular age requirement.
  • Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited university, in economics, environmental science, engineering, political science, or similar (masters’ degree preferred)
  • Applicants must have excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
  • Applicants should have a sincere interest in tackling climate change issues and the energy transformation in their home country as well as a strong understanding of power systems, energy economics, and climate and energy policy, policy instruments / processes
  • Applicants should possess a high level of intellectual curiosity and humilityNote:
  • This programme was designed for individuals working in the think tank/non-profit context, and preference is given to candidates from those sectors. However, we sometimes consider applications from individuals working in international organizations or the private sector if they have a strong track record of climate change mitigation and energy policy engagement.
  • Unfortunately, bachelor’s/master’s university students and job-seekers are not eligible to join our programmes.
  • We are particularly pleased to receive applications from people from groups that have been underrepresented in energy policy. To ensure a diversity of participants, we typically do not accept more than 1-2 individuals from the same country per cohort and take into consideration factors such as gender balance.

What to Expect

Over the course of the 6-week EnerTracks fellowship programme, participants will receive:

• Circa 45 hours of tailored sessions delivered and prepared by the Agora Energiewende teams
• Inclusion in the day-to-day work of Agora Energiewende’s Berlin office
• One-to-one mentoring from Agora Energiewende experts
• The opportunity to publish an article on the Agora Energiewende blog
• Excursion to the Agora Energiewende office in Brussels

Upon completion of the programme participants will receive:

• A digital certificate
• Access to the EnerTracks alumni network  

Logistics and Accomodation

All EnerTracks fellows receive:

• A travel grant covering half of the costs of participants’ international travel expenses (excluding visa costs)
• All-expenses paid accommodation in Berlin
• In-country public transportation tickets
• A modest daily stipend
• Available office space at our office in the heart of Berlin
• Health insurance
• A letter of support for visa application processes

How to Apply

Please prepare in one single PDF document:

1. Your CV/resume
2. A letter of motivation (max. 500 words; around 4000 characters with spaces), describing:
   • The specific research topic you would like to expand on with your Agora mentor AND how this topic relates directly to your work.
   • What are your current responsibilities in your organisation and how would this fellowship support your career objectives?

Please use the following naming convention for this document: lastname_firstname_fellowship_spring2022 (ex.: smith_joan_fellowship_spring2022)

Application deadline is Monday, January 3, 2022.

Study Tours (virtual or in-person)

Over the course of 5.5 weeks (virtual) and 2 weeks (in-person), a select group of 12-16 energy transition professionals are provided with immersive training: either in Berlin or from the comfort of their own home. During the tour, participants receive intensive training in stakeholder engagement, electricity modelling, and design thinking. Under the guidance of RENAC and Agora Energiewende experts, participants work together in small groups and learn how to develop a comprehensive decarbonisation roadmap.

Dates:

Summer 2022 (virtual cohort):

• 20th June 2022 to 20th July 2022

Fall 2022 (in-person cohort):

• October 2022 (exact dates to be confirmed)

Online Modules

The online learning modules developed by the Renewables Academy AG (RENAC) offer participants the opportunity to uncover important topics about energy transformation at their own pace.

These courses are designed for all levels, providing an introduction to more advanced courses around the political, economic, and technical aspects related to the transformation of energy systems. The four modules can be taken as a consecutive programme or individually:

• Module 1: Introduction to power systems – Fundamentals of electricity, generation technology, flexibility options in power systems, fundamentals of power systems and power markets
• Module 2: Policies supporting energy transformation – Political support mechanisms for renewable energy, carbon markets, balancing power market design and operation
• Module 3: Technical aspects of energy transformation – Aspects of grid integration of renewable energy systems, application and technical aspects of the four classic flexibility options (grid, storage, generation, demand-side e-mobility)
• Module 4: Future trends in the power sector – Energy sector coupling, digitisation in the energy sector, an introduction to Hydrogen applications and more

Dates:

EnerTracks Online Modules in Spanish:

• Courses begin in Q2 2022 (18th April 2022- 16th February 2023)

EnerTracks Online Modules in English:

• Courses begin in Q3 2022 (05th September 2022 – 06th July 2023)

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the EnerTracks Training Programme 2022