Iberdrola is promoting an international postdoctoral research programme called Energy for Future (E4F), which will launch its first call for proposals on 1 July.
Through its Fundación Iberdrola España, and in collaboration with the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency (REA), the project will have joint funding of more than €4m for the next five years.
It will promote research projects focused on the main technologies associated with the energy transition and the green transformation of the economy.
These include photovoltaic and wind energy, the evolution of the electric vehicle, energy storage solutions and the development of smart grids.
The five-year programme will be divided into two calls, and will seek the participation of 28 Experienced Researchers – 14 per call.
To enhance geographic mobility and the transfer of knowledge between academia and industry, the programme will involve 18 to 21 months of work at universities and research centres.
It will also include professional stays of 3 to 6 months at Iberdrola’s headquarters in the USA, Mexico, the UK and Spain.
The research will be carried out at 15 European and American universities: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Rochester Institute of Technology, in the USA and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Also taking part is the University of Strathclyde and Imperial College of London, in the United Kingdom; Université de Bordeaux, in France; and Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, in Germany.
In Spain, eight centres will participate: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universidad Carlos III, Universidad de Cantabria, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, Universidad del País Vasco, Universidad de Salamanca, IMDEA Energía and Polymat – Basque center for Macromolecular Design and Engineering.
This initiative substitutes the scholarship programme for young researchers promoted by Fundación Iberdrola España since 2011, which saw funding of more than €3m to promote the development of 180 researchers.
It is also part of Iberdrola’s commitment to excellence in training.