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

Project Description:

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 industry partner, the Crown Estate of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The successful applicant will undertake six-month of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Loughborough University, with opportunity for a period spent at the Crown Estate headquarters in London.

Offshore wind farms are a key driver in the transition to clean energy, bringing substantial environmental and economic benefits. Their development can influence the well-being and social dynamics of nearby communities in various ways, requiring a thoughtful and inclusive approach to maximise positive outcomes. During the construction phase, temporary changes may affect daily life in coastal areas. However, with careful planning and community engagement, these disruptions can be managed effectively, ensuring minimal impact on residents. Over the long term, offshore wind farms can contribute to economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and enhancing local infrastructure. They provide opportunities for workforce development and skill-building in emerging industries, fostering resilience in regional economies. Beyond economic aspects, offshore wind farms can bring social and cultural shifts. While some traditional coastal activities may need to adapt to new surroundings, the presence of renewable energy projects can also inspire innovation, promote environmental awarness, and strengthen local identity and belonging. Collaborative initiatives, such as community benefit programs and educational partnerships, can help integrate wind energy into the cultural fabric of coastal areas, creating a shared sense of progress and sustainability. This PhD research will address these challenges through a robust analysis of offshore wind farms’ influence on quality of life, social cohesion, and economic resilience.

Methodology

This research aims to explore the multifaceted effects of offshore wind farms on well-being and community dynamics, considering both intended and unintended consequences.  By identifying positive spillover effects—such as enhanced community resilience, belonging, economic opportunities, and increased recreational activities—alongside potential challenges, including habitat shifts and coastal development pressures, this project seeks to offer a comprehensive understanding of these dynamics. To support this analysis, a new dataset will be developed, enabling a deeper exploration of these effects over time. Social cost and benefit analysis of offshore windfarm development will be carried out using non-market monetisation approach by translating wellbeing impacts of such activities into monetary values and revealing trade-offs between money and non-market goods. This will provide insights into how much value individuals place on such initiatives and what trade-offs between different activities and behaviours are needed to capture wider benefits of offshore windfarm development. The study will analysis various dynamics addressing questions such as:

• What are the broader social and economic impacts of offshore wind farm construction and operation on the well-being of local communities?
• How do the effects of offshore wind farms evolve across different stages of their lifecycle, from initial construction to long-term operation, and how do communities adapt to these changes over time?
• What types of spillover effects do offshore wind farms have on local economies, employment, and community empowerment and belonging, and how might they contribute to overall well-being and long-term sustainability?

To achieve this objective, we will employ a combination of applied and behavioural economics methodologies, drawing on both primary and secondary data sources. This integrated approach will enable a comprehensive analysis of the short- and long-term implications of offshore wind development, offering valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders. By capturing the multifaceted impacts on communities, this research will help inform strategies that align renewable energy expansion with social and economic well-being.

Training and development

You will benefit from a taught programme, giving you a broad understanding of the breadth and depth of current and emerging offshore wind sector needs. This begins with an intensive six-month programme at the University of Hull for the new student intake, drawing on the expertise and facilities of all four academic partners. It is supplemented by Continuing Professional Development (CPD), which is embedded throughout your 4-year research scholarship.

The successful candidate will develop expertise in behavioural economics, econometrics, and advanced data analysis tools, preparing them for impactful careers across academia, consulting, government, and beyond. You will develop a wide range of numerical modelling and programming skills that will provide excellent career opportunities in both academia and industry. You will be provided with the opportunity to acquire skills and expertise in software such as Stata and Matlab or Python.

Entry requirements

If you have received a First-class Honours degree, or a 2:1 Honours degree and a Masters, or a Distinction at Masters level with any undergraduate degree (or the international equivalents) in economics, energy economics, environmental science or related fields, we would like to hear from you. Strong analytical, quantitative and interdisciplinary collaboration skills are essential.

Industry support

If you have any queries about this project, please contact Dr Simona Rasciute, S.Rasciute@lboro.ac.uk and/or Dr Anna Rita Bennato, a.bennato@lboro.ac.uk.  Y

ou may also address queries about the CDT to auracdt@hull.ac.uk.

For partner enquiries at the Crown Estate please contact gabriella.gilkes@thecrownestate.co.uk

Watch our short video to hear from Aura CDT students, academics and industry partners:

Funding

The CDT is funded by the EPSRC, allowing us to provide scholarships that cover fees plus a stipend set at the UKRI nationally agreed rates. These have been set by UKRI as £20,780 per annum at 2025/26 rates and will increase in line with the EPSRC guidelines for the subsequent years (subject to progress).

Eligibility

Our funded Doctoral Scholarships are available to UK Students. The advertised CDT scholarships in this current recruitment round are available to Home (UK) Students only as the CDT has reached the annual cap, set by the funding council (UKRI EPSRC), on international student recruitment for the 2025 intake. To be considered a Home student, and therefore eligible for a full award, a student must have no restrictions on how long they can stay in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the start of the scholarship (with some further constraint regarding residence for education).

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The CDT is committed to generating a diverse and inclusive training programme and is looking to attract applicants from all backgrounds. We offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for home fee status candidates who identify as Black or Black mixed or Asian or Asian mixed if they meet the programme entry requirements. This positive action is to support recruitment of these under-represented ethnic groups to our programme and is an opt in process.

Find out more

How to apply

Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the Aura CDT website before you apply to give you a good understanding of what a CDT is, our CDT’s research focus and the training and continuing professional development programme that runs alongside the CDT. The Frequently asked questions page and Candidate resources page are essential reading prior to applying. 

Applications are open until Friday 9 May 2025 

Applications to this project are made via the Loughborough University admissions system. If you have not applied to Loughborough University before, you will need to set up an account to enable you to track the progress of your application and upload supporting documents. 

Follow this link to apply for CDT projects at Loughborough University: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/research-applications/  

Under programme name, select ‘Business School’. Both Full-time and Part-time modes of study are available. Please quote this reference number in your application: Aura25-SR

With your application, you need to upload copies of the following supporting evidence:  

• Complete transcripts (and final degree certificate(s) where possible). If your qualification documents are not in English, you will need to supply copies of your original language documents as well as their official translation into English. 
• Your Curriculum Vitae (CV).  
• A completed Supplementary Application Form (upload as part of your supporting evidence documentation). 

Please download the Supplementary Application Form here. 

Ensure you complete all sections of the Supplementary Application Form in font and size Calibri 11pt, specify the research project you are applying for.  

Uploading the form 

When you have completed the form, please save it as a pdf format and labellled as follows: 

Last name_first name PhD application form 

Upload the form as part of your application documents through the Loughborough University student application portal upload as part of your supporting evidence documentation. Please do not send your form directly to the Offshore Wind CDT.  

Interviews will be held online with an interview panel comprising of project supervisory team members from the host university where the project is based.  Where the project involves external supervisors from university partners or industry sponsors then representatives from these partners may form part of the interview panel and your supplementary application form will be shared with them (with the guaranteed interview scheme section removed). Interviews will take place during early and mid-June. 

If you have any queries about this project, please contact Dr Simona Rasciute, S.Rasciute@lboro.ac.uk and/or Dr Anna Rita Bennato, a.bennato@lboro.ac.uk.

You may also address queries about the CDT to auracdt@hull.ac.uk.

For partner enquiries at the Crown Estate please contact gabriella.gilkes@thecrownestate.co.uk

References

• Glasson, J., Durning, B., Welch, K. and Olorundami, T., 2022. The local socio-economic impacts of offshore wind farms. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 95, p.106783.
• Gibbons, S., 2015. Gone with the wind: Valuing the visual impacts of wind turbines through house prices. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 72, pp.177-196.
• Jobert, A., Laborgne, P. and Mimler, S., 2007. Local acceptance of wind energy: Factors of success identified in French and German case studies. Energy policy, 35(5), pp.2751-2760.
• McCunney, R.J., Mundt, K.A., Colby, W.D., Dobie, R., Kaliski, K. and Blais, M., 2015. Wind turbines and health: A critical review of the scientific literature. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 57(10), pp.e133-e135.
• Meyerhoff, J., Ohl, C. and Hartje, V., 2010. Landscape externalities from onshore wind power. Energy Policy, 38(1), pp.82-92.
• Schuster, E., Bulling, L. and Köppel, J., 2015. Consolidating the state of knowledge: a synoptical review of wind energy’s wildlife effects. Environmental Management, 56, pp.300-331.