Long-Term Advisor in Energy Modeling India-Denmark Energy Partnership Programme

India-Denmark Energy Partnership Programme (INDEP)

Background in short:

India is one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world. It remains dependent on fossil fuels for energy production, primarily coal, making it one of the significant emitters of energy-related CO2 emissions globally. India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 and has already taken significant steps towards this goal. As of October 2024, India reached 200 GW of renewable energy capacity and continues to advance towards its 2030 target. India has also shown a strong commitment to reducing carbon intensity, reflected in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. In the NDC, India has committed to ensuring that at least 50% of its total installed electricity generation capacity comes from renewable energy sources by 2030.

India has expressed interest in Denmark's knowledge of electricity system modeling, and as part of the partnership, Denmark and India have already published a technology catalog with data on electricity generation technologies and made progress towards a joint projection of the Indian electricity sector, called the Indian Power Outlook, which focuses on identifying a cost-effective path towards India’s net-zero emissions target by 2070. India and Denmark will continue to work on these issues in the coming years.

The programme in short:

The India-Denmark Energy Partnership (INDEP) is a 5-year program funded by Denmark (the Climate Envelope). INDEP builds on a well-established collaboration between the two governments through a Memorandum of Understanding that outlines shared governmental objectives for cooperation. In practice, the collaboration consists of technical advice from the Danish Energy Agency (DEA), the Danish transmission system operator (Energinet) , and consultancy assistance provided to Indian partners, offering broad access to Danish experience, expertise, and technological solutions.

INDEP is based on three thematic tracks: 1) development of offshore wind, 2) long-term energy planning and modeling, and 3) integration of renewable energy and flexibility. Tracks 2 and 3 fall under the Ministry of Power (MOP), and the long-term advisor's focus will primarily be on track 2, collaborating with relevant MOP institutions, particularly the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

The goal is to share knowledge and best practices to ensure a successful and cost-effective implementation of India's ambitious renewable energy targets. DEA will provide knowledge and technical assistance based on its 30 years of experience with a green transition in Denmark. The long-term advisor will be physically located at the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in India and will work closely with the officials involved in energy modeling at CEA. In daily operations, the long-term advisor will report directly to the IRP Chief Engineer at CEA. The advisor will help coordinate the work between Indian and Danish partners by liaising with CEA and other relevant stakeholders involved in energy modeling in India. In the short term, the advisor's work will involve finalizing and publishing the joint Indian Power Outlook (the first edition is expected to be released in early 2025) and the publication of the second technology catalog focusing on storage technologies and green fuels. In the longer term, the focus will be on further developing the Indian Power Outlook model and publishing an updated version of the first technology catalog with an emphasis on production technologies

Requirements and expectations from the relevant parties

Expertise in Energy Modeling and Long-Term Planning

The long-term advisor will carry out the following work and share the best available knowledge on:

• Contributing to the further development of the joint modeling work focused on the second version of the Indian Power Outlook report.
• Contributing to the launch of the second Indian technology catalog focused on storage technologies and initiating work on the third technology catalog.
• Supporting CEA in general modeling tasks and capacity building at CEA in this field.
• Promoting energy modeling within CEA with a focus on areas such as: 
• Regional demand and production profiles 
• Multi-node modeling 
• Estimating electricity system costs 
• Selection and development of energy scenarios 
• Transmission integration 
• Development of policy recommendations based on modeling results
• Contributing to disseminating and ensuring the use of results from the Indian Power Outlook and technology catalogs
• Improving coordination and communication between Indian and Danish partners.

The candidate will also assist in coordinating and organizing activities to enhance flexibility in the Indian electricity system, focusing on renewable energy forecasts, grid connection rules, and cross-border electricity trading. 

Expected composition of the selection committee

Applicants for the position will be selected for interview by Danish Energy Agency, the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, the Royal Danish Embassy in Delhi in collaboration with MOP, who will also be represented at the job interview. Danish Energy Agency will lead the process of appointment by conducting tests and interviews with the selected candidates, as well as lead the final interview. The final interview panel consists of: the Danish Energy Agency, representative from Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, Royal Danish Embassy in Delhi and representatives from M

The position: Senior Adviser (N1)

Place of service:

Central Electricity Authority (CEA), New Delhi, India

Terms of employment:

Contract period: 1 March 2025 – 31 February 2027 with the possibility of a 1-year extension.

Attractive remuneration package. Contribution to a pension scheme, health insurance and reimbursement of school fees. House/flat rent paid by the embassy.

For more details please refer to Danida’s Staff Regulations – Advisers on Long-term Assignments:

https://um.dk/da/om-os/stillinger/raadgiverstillinger-finansieret-af-danida/bilaterale-raadgivere/

Please note that the status of this position does not fall under Danish diplomacy (høj vejkode).

Area of responsibility/tasks:

The long-term advisor’s main responsibility is to 1) act as an internal expert in CEA in energy planning and long-term modeling to build capacity in institutions such as CEA and MOP; 2) coordinate progress and contribute to the knowledge sharing work regarding energy planning. The advisor will build on the results created over the initial period of the collaboration from 2020-2024.

The long-term advisor will supply and facilitate Danish knowledge, as well as give the Indian partners quick and direct access to information on relevant Danish energy expertise. If knowledge on more comprehensive topics within the work program is desired from the Indian side, the advisor is expected to direct relevant inquiries to the Danish Energy Agency, which will find the relevant Danish expert or plan a capacity-building workshop with relevant experts.

The advisor will be an important facilitator in the collaboration and dialogue between CEA and DEA. The presence of a long-term advisor has proven to make the program far more effective and ensure continuous progress.

The candidate is expected to have experience in energy modeling and can develop potential future scenarios that can help India provide input for decision-making on long-term power system development. The candidate must have experience in modeling power systems and extensive knowledge of scenario development and analysis, preferably from the Indian context. In addition, the candidate must have a good overview and understanding of the assumptions underlying the modeling and their interrelationships, as well as the conclusions that can be drawn from the results.

As a long-term advisor, the candidate is also expected to:

Provide technical assistance and build capacity in CEA and related agencies (CERC, Grid-India and POWERGRID) on energy planning and modeling in close cooperation with the Energy Board's experts as well as other international and local experts

• Contribute to strengthening the capacity of CEA and MOP and relevant agencies responsible for energy planning in India
• Participate in the working groups under the program and follow up on progress in program activities
• Advise on the implementation of the program in a coherent and coordinated manner consistent with Indian plans and priorities
• Furthermore, the long-term adviser is expected to have close sparring with the sector adviser on energy at the Danish embassy in New Delhi, including that:
• Maintain close contact with the sector adviser, who, in interaction with the long-term adviser, takes part in the professional dialogue with the Danish Energy Agency and local partner authorities about the progress of INDEP, including planning of missions.
• With the involvement of the sector advisor to coordinate the work with energy planning in the India-Denmark partnership, i.e. support organization of workshops, plan events etc.
• In coordination with the Sector Advisor on Energy, stay updated on Indian energy sector developments and provide input to policy dialogues relevant to the partners and the Energy Partnership Programme.
• In interaction with the sector advisor, actively explore synergies between the bilateral partnership program and the multilateral forums and other cooperation where both Denmark and India are active

Success criteria

• Successful implementation of best practice within energy planning and modeling for concrete political input and assistance to CEA and MOP.
• Timely delivery of relevant inputs required for the implementation of program activities related to energy planning and modeling in collaboration with ENS, including ensuring progress in the preparation of the second version of India Power Outlook as well as the third technology catalogue.
• Constructive and valued contact between Indian partners and ENS
• Validation and communication of good results based on impact assessments of program activities
• Ensuring ownership, legitimacy and effectiveness of program activities through proactive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders across government, business and organizational sectors.

Requirements and expectations concerning the formal qualifications of the candidate

• A master level degree or corresponding qualifications in energy/environmental management, economics, political science, engineering and/or subjects relevant to renewable energy could be relevant
• Solid knowledge of The Danish energy system and the Danish Energy policy incl. long-term energy sector planning and integration of renewable energy in the power system is a requirement
• Extensive experience working with one or more related fields such as: energy data collection and statistics, energy system modelling, measures for integration of renewable energy, power system operation, electricity market development, regulation of the energy sector incl. offshore wind energy, renewable energy planning
• Project management and coordination experience and experience from delivery of technical assistance, exchange visits and technical secondments
• Experience from developing countries, preferably India will be an advantage
• Knowledge of the renewable energy technology providers is an advantage
• Fluency in English, written and spoken, is required. Fluency in Danish is an advantage.
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Experienced in giving presentations to workshop and other events

Requirements and expectations concerning the personal qualifications of the candidate:

• Openness towards and understanding of different cultures and capacity to work in a different cultural setting
• Inter-personal skills with a high level of initiative and diplomacy
• Ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team with relations to different ministries and stakeholders
• Proactive and flexible attitude, adaptability, social sensitivity, with respect for other cultures
• Capacity to manage and facilitate working processes involving parties at different levels
• Medical certificate showing that you are fit for mission

How to apply:

You apply via www.ens.dk/job. Use the "Search for the position" function on the job posting. Your motivated application with CV, diploma incl. grade overview and any other appendices must be entered no later than 8 December 2024. Documents must be in English. Interviews will be in weeks 50 and 51. Candidates must be prepared to complete a test.

Expected commencement: 1st of March 2025 or as soon as possible.

The Danish Energy Agency will be handling the recruitment process. When you apply, you accept that your information and documents will be exchanged between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Energy Agency. Candidates will be contacted by the Danish Energy Agency if in consideration for the position. For further information about the position please contact Ulrik Eversbusch (+45 41 53 26 46) or Lars Martin Jensen (+45 33 92 76 07). Read more about how the Danish Energy Agency handle personal data: https://ens.dk/om-os/energistyrelsens-behandling-af-personoplysninger