Dr. M.D. (Merla) Kubli
Dr. M.D. (Merla) Kubli
Profile
Dr. Merla Kubli is assistant professor of System Dynamics for Policy Analysis at the Technology, Policy and Management faculty of TU Delft. Her research at the Policy Analysis section focusses on the business dynamics of climate solutions. In particular she is active in the fields of low-carbon innovations of renewable energies, decentralized flexibility and circular economy solutions for electric vehicle batteries. Merla Kubli is passionate about research that combines rigor and relevance, and to contribute to spreading climate solutions. In her research she applies System Dynamics simulation and choice experiments to investigate the consumer-provider interactions for emerging business models. In collaborations with the energy industry, she supported various companies during the past years in their strategy and business development to capture the opportunities of the energy transition.
Research interests
With her research, Dr. Merla Kubli aims to help climate solutions to spread fast and wide – in a user-centric way, with robust business cases and effective public policy. Leveraging System Dynamics as a method to bridge disciplines and bring the relevant knowledge together is a central part of her research strategy. Striving for impactful research, she engags in current debates, contributing with scientific results for public and corporate policy making.
Her current research includes circular economy solutions for EV batteries (CircuBAT), business models and SME preferences for energy communities (H2020 project E-LAND) and vehicle-to-grid and smart EV charging solutions.
Academic background
Before joining TU Delft, Merla Kubli was appointed as assistant professor of Managing Climate Solutions at University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. As part of this role she co-founded and managed the master certificate in Managing Climate Solutions (MaCS-HSG).
Her postdoctoral research was completed in a dual position between Zurich University of Applied Sciences and University of St. Gallen focussing on business dynamics of flexibility aggregators.
Merla Kubli holds a PhD title from University of St. Gallen for the thesis titled "Decentralization Dynamics of Energy Systems: From Prosumer Preferences to System-Level Perspectives". A large share of her PhD research was conducted at Zurich University of Applied Sciences as part of the research group Future Energy Systems, where she developed the TREES simulation model.
Merla graduated from the Erasmus Mundus European Master in System Dynamics, a joint degree program between University of Bergen, New University of Lisbon and Radboud University Nijmegen. Her bachelor degree she earned at University of Basel in the field of Economics and Business Administration.
Expertise
Publications
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2024
Building the Bridge: How System Dynamics Models Operationalise Energy Transitions and Contribute towards Creating an Energy Policy Toolbox
Sarah Hafner / Lawrence Gottschamer / M.D. Kubli / Roberto Pasqualino / Silvia Ulli-Beer
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2023
Energy communities for companies
Executives’ preferences for local and renewable energy procurement
Beatrice Petrovich / Merla Kubli -
2023
A typology of business models for energy communities
Current and emerging design options
Merla Kubli / Sanket Puranik -
2022
EV drivers’ willingness to accept smart charging
Measuring preferences of potential adopters
Merla Kubli -
2021
Business strategies for flexibility aggregators to steer clear of being “too small to bid”
Merla Kubli / Patrizio Canzi
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Prizes
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2023
Gert-von-Kortzfleisch Award
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2017
Best Paper Award at the European Conference for Energy Economics
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2012
Erasmus Mundus Excellence Scholarship by the European Commission
Ancillary activities
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2023-09-01 - 2025-08-31
Education