Focus Area 6 investigates how the energy transition can be accelerated in low- and middle‑income countries by developing technological and institutional knowledge that enables the Energy Transition in the Global South.

In 2025, the work was closely connected to NTNU’s activities in the Global South, including COP30 and collaboration with the Global South – LMIC Team. While the Global South Team focuses on coordinating and highlighting

NTNU’s efforts in the Global South, Focus Area 6 concentrates more on academic issues and the development of new research agendas and methodological approaches related to accelerated energy transition.

The focus area has hired a postdoctoral researcher and begun work on a research agenda within just energy transitions, collaboration with partner universities, and capacity building. The activities are supported by dialogue meetings and workshops with researchers and institutions working in Global South contexts.

In 2026, the focus area will continue to develop long‑term research collaborations, explore funding opportunities (NORHED III, Horizon Europe), and contribute to innovation networks and interdisciplinary initiatives on energy, society, and development.

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The freedom to dig into whatever interests him the most is what Ludwig Kuhn enjoys about being a postdoc. In theory, he could dive deep into the tiniest details — but he prefers to look at the big picture. He wants to understand the world.

W. Ludwig Kuhn has settled in Trondheim and works as an engaged postdoc in the focus area “Leapfrogging to the front,” led by Ole Gunnar Dahlhaug. Their work explores ways to promote environmentally friendly energy transition in low- and middle-income countries.

As Far from Home as Possible
But how did Ludwig end up here? Surely Berlin must be a much more exciting city?
“I studied fluid mechanics at TU Berlin, where I also completed my master’s degree in 2017. Kind of by chance, I came across something called the Nordic Water Network, which made it possible to apply for a student exchange during my master’s. Among the options available, I chose the partner university farthest away from Berlin. And that turned out to be NTNU in Trondheim,” he says with a smile.
What was supposed to be six months has now turned into seven years. In Trondheim he discovered the hydropower community and met Ole Gunnar Dahlhaug, who offered him a research assistant position after his exchange stay and after finishing his master’s degree. At the Hydropower Laboratory, he obtained a PhD position working on environmental measures in hydropower, with Dahlhaug as his supervisor. After that, he worked at NINA (the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research), where he continued working with environmental measures related to hydropower production. At that point, his fate as a Trønder was more or less sealed.

A Global Perspective
“My time at NINA was great. We work across disciplines, and it’s incredibly rewarding to discuss issues with biologists who see the challenges from a completely different angle. It’s essential for finding the best solutions,” Ludwig says.
Together with Dahlhaug and the academic environment at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering — which has collaborated with Nepal and Kathmandu University (KU) for many years — Ludwig has travelled to Kathmandu numerous times. Dahlhaug has been instrumental in building up both research and education within hydropower and energy production there.
“The rivers in Nepal are very different from the Norwegian ones. Simply put, they’re meltwater from huge glaciers that erode the mountains, carrying enormous amounts of gravel and sand — sediments that damage the turbines. So, research and knowledge-building on this issue are very important,” Ludwig explains.
Every year around Easter, NTNU students travel to Kathmandu for a student seminar, where they meet their counterparts at the university in the capital. It’s a fruitful collaboration that builds friendships and cultural understanding.

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Collaboration That Ensures Best Practice
In autumn 2025, Ludwig made a new choice when he started as a postdoc at NTNU.
“I’m excited to really get started. My work will have a global perspective, focusing on countries NTNU already collaborates with in the hydropower sector. Nepal, of course, but also several countries in Africa and South America, where hydropower is big. We want to work together on building good hydropower plants that take care of nature, the environment — and not least the fish — in and around the rivers.”
Competence development and knowledge exchange are also key. One of his tasks is to create a “recipe” describing the sequence of steps in large hydropower.
“The social aspect of these large developments is just as important as the economic one, so that needs to be addressed too.”
Ludwig collaborates with the Global South Team and Pedro Crespo del Granado, who is his co-supervisor together with Sara Heidenreich from the Department of Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies.

Freedom to Dive into Interests
“I’m really enjoying myself and I like the freedom a postdoc gives. I’m not required to deliver something to earn a degree — I get to dig into topics I find interesting, and that’s an academic freedom I’ve never had before. The research environment is great, and I already know a lot of people. At the same time, building networks is important, and I do that in many different arenas.”
Ludwig comes to the meeting wearing a hoodie and jeans. The symbol on the hoodie hints at one of his interests: a bicycle.
“Yes, I like cycling, although I’d never used studded tires before moving here. It’s brilliant — I feel safer on a bike than on foot when it’s slippery. I enjoy exercise in general: running, tennis, snowboarding — I’m up for most things.”
And like many other non-Nordic residents, cross-country skiing is an acquired taste.
“I’d never gone cross-country skiing before moving to Norway,” Ludwig admits. “So, I’m very happy that EPT (the Department of Energy and Process Engineering) is offering ski courses this winter. It’s a real bonus — and it helps with the ski tracks! It’s also a great way to meet even more people, which matters a lot to me.”