Internship opportunity: Analysing the impact of floating solar panels on water quality and algae
Start date: From July onwards, exact start date open to discussion
Duration: 4 months (max. 6 months)
Education level: Master’s level
Location: Deltares, Utrecht
(with several field days in Friesland)
Hours: 40 hours a week
Problem Statement:
Floating solar panels are a relatively new technology that offer some advantages over land-based systems: they save space and benefit from the cooling effect of water, which increases efficiency. Despite their rapid global increase in deployment, their ecological impact is still not well understood.
Task:
To address this, measurements are being taken at two sand mining lakes in Friesland at two locations: beneath the floating solar system and in adjacent open water. During this internship, you will be analysing this data to explore whether – and why – differences occur in water quality and algae composition between the two locations. You will use R for your data analyses. In addition, you will have the opportunity to join a few field trips to help collect data on site.
You will be working at Deltares in Utrecht, an independent institute for applied research in the field of water, subsurface and infrastructure. You will be part of the department Ecology and Water Quality (EWQ), working with a motivated team of ecologists, modelers and researchers.
Prerequisites:
You have experience in analysing (ecological) data in R. Furthermore, you have a strong interest in aquatic ecology and basic understanding of the interactions between abiotic conditions and biological processes. For the occasional fieldwork in Friesland it is beneficial if you have a driving license.
Contact:
Interested? Send your motivation letter and CV before June 18th to emma.vanveenendaal@deltares.nl. For questions, feel free to contact Emma van Veenendaal: +316 2905 13712.