Author: Rahul Rajkarnikar

Objective

Energy transition, clean energy, sustainability, carbon neutrality, defossilization as well as energy security have become primary targets and concerns worldwide.

Access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy is not only the key to the attainment of these targets but also the main promoter in achieving other sustainable development goals SDGs such as quality education, health, clean water, and sanitation in addition to different social services.

Based on the three main trends shaping the current and future global energy landscape – defossilization, decentralization, and digitalization – the promotion of renewable energy systems, mainly through microgrids is becoming one of the potential approaches and an innovative and viable solution toward a clean energy future, especially in areas not served by centralized electrical infrastructure. 

Arising from the idea that energy security, economic benefits, and clean energy integration are the main drivers of microgrid development and deployment worldwide, this winter school aims at demonstrating microgrids as reliable and resilient power systems from different perspectives.

It brings together Indian and German students who will jointly and interactively develop their skills with the following learning outcomes:

• Recognizing the concept of microgrid, its components, operation, modeling, and optimization.
• Identifying the main challenges and outstanding issues in the ubiquitous/ widespread application of microgrids from economic, environmental, and social perspectives.
• Proposing innovative solutions and strategies to implement microgrids as a sustainable energy system.

Schedule

This Winter School will run for twelve days from February 20^th until March 3^rd, 2023, and will have two major work streams. The mornings and afternoons will be reserved for lectures and talks given by Indian and German academics and practitioners. The second workstream is dedicated to project work (see below). 

Format

The School will consist of lectures, group work, panel discussions, excursions, and intercultural exchanges.

The Winter School 2023 will be a physical event in Chennai, India.

Participants

The course is open to German* and Indian Masters and Ph.D. Students. Knowledge of energy topics is required. The number of participants is limited to 30 (15 German /15 Indian).

Selected participants from German universities will receive a mobility scholarship of up to 1050 EUR as well as a scholarship of 325 EUR to cover living expenses during the School.

Selected participants from Indian universities will be reimbursed for their travels by train.

IGCS is covering the cost of the stay.

*Non-German students and university graduates can apply if they are enrolled in the course of study at a German university to obtain a degree at a German university. For more information check the DAAD-Website: Bewerbungen um ein Stipendium (German only).

Application

Interested students may apply through the 2023 Application Form. The application deadline is 15 December 2022. Please note that the applications received after this date will not be considered.

The link is open from 05.10.2022 – 15.12.2022, 7 PM CET/11:30 PM IST. You will need to register first before you enter the actual form. You can switch between German and English. Please read the instructions carefully, including the help notes attached to many entry boxes.

Please prepare the following documents to be uploaded through the form:

1. CV
2. Transcript of records of last completed semester/graduation certificate
3. Letter of recommendation from an academic supervisor. It should state your academic and personal qualifications for participation in the School.
4. University study program enrolment certificate
5. Passport Copy

Positive results will be announced by the end of December 2022. We kindly ask you to refrain from inquiries about the application status in the meantime. Your data will be deleted if you are not accepted.

Contact

Please contact project coordinator Lisa van Aalst or Dr. Anna Uffmann if you have any questions.

Organizers

IGCS Area Coordinators for Energy, Prof. Dr. Krishna Vasudevan (Indian Institute of Technology Madras), Prof. Dr. Frank Behrendt (Technical University Berlin), and Dr. Khulud Alsouleman (Technical University Berlin).

This advertisement is based on the condition of funding through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for the funding period 2023 – 2024.