Projects

Started

Basic and strategic applied research

SOCIAL SCIENCES
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Energy modelling)
Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Other Systems Analysis)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy

Robert Gross
Imperial College London

Standard

EPSRC

01 July 2024

01 July 2028

48 months

£11,685,142

Unknown

London

Energy and Decarbonisation

Robert Gross, Imperial College London

Nicola Beaumont, Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Keith Bell, University of Strathclyde
Michael Bradshaw, University of Warwick
Christian Brand, University of Oxford
Gavin Bridge, Durham University
Jess Britton, University of Edinburgh
Christian Calvillo Munoz, University of Strathclyde
Jason Chilvers, University of East Anglia
Brett Day, University of Exeter
Yulong Ding, University of Birmingham
Paul Dodds, University College London
Tim Green, Imperial College London
James Halliday, Science and Technology Facilities Council
Tom Hargreaves, University of East Anglia
Graeme Hawker, University of Strathclyde
Karen Henwood, Cardiff University
Antonios Katris, University of Strathclyde
Caroline Kuzemko, University of Warwick
Matthew Lockwood, University of Sussex
Helen Pallett, University of East Anglia
Nick Pidgeon, Cardiff University
Steve Pye, University College London
Meysam Qadrdan, Cardiff University
Jamie Speirs, University of Strathclyde
Karen Turner, University of Strathclyde
Mark Winskel, University of Edinburgh
Jianzhong Wu, Cardiff University

UKERC has been at the forefront of whole systems, interdisciplinary research on the energy transition for almost two decades. As the challenges facing the UK and the world have evolved so have UKERCs research agenda and partners. This proposal, created in consultation with stakeholders, builds on UKERCs long-standing expertise and trusted status to propose new research themes and activities that address contemporary challenges. The vision for UKERC Phase 5 is to deliver world-leading whole systems research focusing on the challenge of delivering the energy transition. Four core research themes will tackle key challenges: delivering infrastructure at pace; operating a highly renewable and electrified system; geopolitics, security, and resilience; and affordability and justice. Theme 1 on delivering infrastructure will develop methods for strategic spatial energy planning and assess options for decarbonising dispersed industrial sites. Theme 2 focuses on flexibility, transport electrification, and long-duration storage. Theme 3 examines the geopolitics of fossil fuel decline and low emissions transitions. Theme 4 explores distributional impacts of new tariffs, place-based approaches, and deliberating heat transitions. A new Responsive Research theme will rapidly respond to emerging issues, using evidence reviews, modelling, surveys and applied social science methods. The Public Engagement Observatory and Energy Data Centre continue, mapping public views and curating open data. New partners and capabilities will be brought in through a 1.9m fund to enhance and extend the research programme. Three whole system missions will track heat and transport transitions, societal engagement, and future energy markets. UKERCs successful Whole System Networking Fund will be maintained to provide opportunities to expand participation and for early career development. Summer schools, training and skills development will continue to be a strong focus. The programme will convene across the UK energy research community and build upon existing links to industry and policy stakeholders, it has a strong focus on career development and EDI, and will represent the UK energy community through international engagement. It will synthesize learning on research integration and produce integrative projects. Webinars, podcasts, briefing papers and blogs will continue to provide mechanisms for engagement across the energy sector and with civil society. UKERCs whole system, interdisciplinary programme responds to global climate negotiation developments, geopolitical factors affecting energy security and prices, and UK policies, politics, and markets. It tackles delivery, flexibility, geopolitics, affordability, and justice challenges. The work is multi-method, interdisciplinary, and policy-oriented. It will engage with stakeholders throughout to co-create rigorous evidence-based outputs that will help accelerate the transition to an affordable, just, and inclusive net zeroenergy system

25/06/25