Coding the Energy Transition: Visual Python Tools for Territorial Energy Planning in Geneva

Internship. Starting in 2026, date to be agreed.

Dashboard for Geneva energy transition

Context

Territorial energy planning is a key lever for achieving ambitious decarbonisation targets at the city and regional scale. In Geneva, the Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) are actively supporting the transition toward a low-carbon, secure, and affordable energy system. This requires a detailed understanding of local energy demand, renewable and waste-heat resources, and infrastructure constraints, as well as clear and accessible tools to support decision-making.

In this context, simple yet robust Python-based applications can play a crucial role: turning raw technical datasets into intuitive maps, indicators, and dashboards that can be used directly by engineers, planners, and decision-makers. The goal is to bridge the gap between advanced modelling work (e.g. carried out at IPESE/EPFL) and operational needs at SIG, enabling faster iteration on scenarios and better communication with stakeholders.

Project/Tasks

The aim of this project is to co-develop user-friendly Python applications that support Geneva’s energy transition through territorial energy planning. Working in close collaboration with SIG engineers and IPESE researchers, the student will:

  • Explore and structure available datasets (e.g. CSV, GeoJSON, GeoPackage) relevant to territorial energy planning (demand, networks, potentials, constraints).

  • Implement data-processing pipelines for:

    • Cleaning and transforming raw data,
    • Building and managing geospatial layers,
    • Creating consistent indicators and intermediate results.

  • Design and implement Python algorithms to:

    • Analyse spatial and temporal energy demand and supply,
    • Support comparison of different planning or investment options,
    • Generate reproducible, documented outputs.

  • Develop simple, visual applications (e.g. dashboards, interactive maps, or lightweight GUIs) to make results directly usable for non-programmer experts at SIG.

  • Refactor and update existing Python code where relevant (code takeover, adaptation, and maintenance).

  • Set up basic testing and CI/CD workflows (e.g. with GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps) to ensure code quality and reliability over time.

  • Package and deploy the applications in an environment suitable for internal use at SIG.

  • Critically analyse and validate the results of algorithms and tools from an energy-systems perspective, discussing limitations and possible improvements with supervisors.

Skills

Technical / IT skills

  • Solid programming experience in Python.

  • Experience with data handling and pre-processing, especially for:

    • Tabular data (e.g. CSV),
    • Geospatial data (e.g. GeoJSON, GeoPackage).

  • Ability to implement and maintain analysis algorithms and data pipelines.

  • Experience with data visualisation and basic user interfaces (dashboards, plotting libraries, or web-based tools).

  • Familiarity with Git version control.

  • Interest in or prior exposure to:

    • CI/CD practices and automated testing,
    • Application deployment (e.g. containers, internal services, or similar setups).

Energy systems skills

  • Very comfortable with fundamental energy concepts (consumption profiles, expected production, efficiency, losses, and key performance indicators).
  • Ability to interpret, compare, and critique results from energy-related algorithms and applications, not just produce them.
  • Understanding of the broader energy system, including the role of electricity, heat, and other vectors in the energy transition.
  • Strong interest in territorial / urban energy planning and the practical challenges of implementing decarbonisation strategies.

Profile

  • Master’s student in energy, mechanical, environmental, electrical engineering, data science, or a related field.
  • Comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with engineers and researchers.
  • Curious, pragmatic, and motivated to turn code into tools that have real impact on Geneva’s energy transition.

Administrative

This project is part of a collaboration between IPESE (EPFL) and the Services Industriels de Genève (SIG). It will take the form of a paid internship carried out on-site at SIG in Geneva.

The project will be supervised by Yannick Gaudy (Engineer, SIG) and Dorsan Lepour (PhD student, IPESE). Interested candidates should submit a CV and a brief motivation letter to: