Research Fellow in Energy Transitions and Institutions (Fixed Term) Ref 835

School of Business, Management & Economics 
SPRU – Science Policy Research Unit

Full time, Fixed term for 8 months, with the possibility of extension
Salary range:  starting at £31,656 per annum and rising to £37,768 per annum
Closing date for applications:  8 June 2016
Expected interview date: 23 June 2016
Expected start date:  1 September 2016​

Description
The Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), within the School of Business, Management and Economics at the University of Sussex, is seeking a Research Fellow to work on the Smart Energy Transition (SET) project funded by the Academy of Finland, Strategic Research Council www.smartenergytransition.fi.

The SET consortium is led by Aalto University School of Business, and includes seven other universities/research institutes and four other organizations, including SPRU. SPRU’s role, led by Dr Paula Kivimaa, focuses on the analysis of institutions and industrial policy in smart energy disruption. The Research Fellow will be part of the project team carrying out a cross-country comparison of UK, Germany and Denmark to understand the relevance of institutions in technology disruption - focusing on cases of on and off shore wind and building energy use.

The Research Fellow will conduct a systematic literature review and participate in conducting document analysis and interviews in the case countries, and contribute to creating a conceptual framework of key triggering points and barriers for energy technology disruption.

The successful candidate will have a PhD (obtained or nearly completed) in energy policy studies, innovation studies or a related area, and previous experience of policy and/or institutional analysis. Previous experience of using qualitative research methods, in particular literature review, document analysis and interviews, is essential. The successful candidate will be able to begin in September or early October 2016 at latest, and be able and willing to travel. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of German and/or Danish, and specific knowledge of the energy sector in Denmark, Germany and the UK.
If you wish to discuss the projects and position, please contact Dr Paula Kivimaa p.kivimaa@sussex.ac.uk
For more information, go to http://www.sussex.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/835

And they are selling the partially built Bellefonte Nuclear Reactors...

From World Nuclear News:  (the operant word here is "had")
TVA CEO Bill Johnson at yesterday's public meeting of the TVA board said that nuclear power had an important role to play in the federally-owned corporate agency's diversified portfolio. "We are relying on our nuclear plants for electricity that is reliable, clean, low-cost and round-the-clock," he said. However, against a background of lower energy demand and changing usage patterns, TVA's 2015 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) determined that it will not need to build any new large-scale baseload capacity for at least the next 20 years.

A group at the University of Maryland reported on results of a large survey they did of the American public's views toward energy and climate policy. They call this the "Citizen's Cabinet" because they receive briefings (via internet) before they are asked for their policy opinions. Without returning some of the tax revenues to the low and middle income groups, a carbon tax barely achieves majority support. But with some recycling to those most negatively affected, support grows to 66%. Washington State's vote on I-732 this November will be the acid test.