A socio-economic impact evaluation on wellbeing and community dynamics of Offshore Wind Farms in the United Kingdom

This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience, a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The project is sponsored by The Crown Estate of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The research will explore the multifaceted effects of offshore wind farms on well-being and community dynamics in coastal communities, considering both intended and unintended consequences. The successful applicant will undertake six months of training with the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Loughborough University, with an opportunity for a period spent at The Crown Estate headquarters in London. This research will address challenges through a robust analysis of offshore wind farms' influence on quality of life, social cohesion, and economic resilience. Using a combination of applied and behavioural economics methodologies, the study will examine the broader social and economic impacts across different stages of the wind farm lifecycle. The research will employ social cost and benefit analysis using non-market monetisation approaches to translate wellbeing impacts into monetary values. The successful candidate will develop expertise in behavioural economics, econometrics, and advanced data analysis tools, preparing them for impactful careers across academia, consulting, and government.