Media Centre

 23.03.09: UKERC Receives £18.5m Award to Continue Research into Sustainable Energy

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC), the centrepiece of the Research Councils' Energy Programme, is set to continue its groundbreaking sustainable energy research with a further round of funding which will see the Centre through to 2014. 

UKERC will continue its unique 'whole systems' approach, bringing together engineers, economists, physicists and experts in environmental and social sciences to tackle energy issues. 

However, in a departure from its first five years, it has allocated approximately 40% of its budget to researchers outside the Centre who will be able to apply for funding for specific projects.   An annual call for proposals and their evaluation will be carried out by a Research Committee, for which UKERC is currently advertising for members.

UKERC's next phase will see it ramping up efforts to promote cohesion within the overall UK energy research effort. 

Mechanisms for this include the UKERC Meeting Place, which brings together interested parties to identify problems, develop solutions and further the energy debate, and the National Energy Research Network (NERN), an umbrella network for energy researchers.

Commenting on the award, John Loughhead, Executive Director of UKERC, said:  "We've enjoyed a very successful first five year term and are pleased to have the continued support of the Research Councils.  

"It will enable us to forge ahead with ambitious whole systems projects looking at how the UK can move towards a resilient low-carbon energy system. Over the next five years we'll also be focused on encouraging collaboration between national and international business and research communities as well as supporting early career researchers."

To mark the conclusion of its first phase, UKERC will in April showcase the results of its ambitious cross-centre research project, 'UKERC Energy 2050'. This major project demonstrates how the UK can meet its goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 while dealing with anxieties about energy security.

UKERC Research Director Jim Skea commented: "This second phase of funding provides a tremendous opportunity to build on what we have achieved so far. The energy policy landscape is changing rapidly both in the UK and overseas.  Now that long-term targets have been set, the main theme of our research will be implementation - how we stay on track through the 2020s and 2030s.

"With our unique mix of skills, we look forward to tackling emerging topics such as the transformation of the heat sector, the role of lifestyle and behaviour change and the global environmental footprint of activity in the UK energy sector."

UKERC has over the past five years built the first live tool to show the status of energy R&D in the UK, hosted over 75 energy events and established a renowned annual Summer School giving UK and international students the chance to learn from energy experts. 

It also runs an interdisciplinary studentship scheme, which has supported a total of 27 students since its inception in 2005.  In addition, the Centre has also produced a series of incisive reports on controversial energy issues, such as the energy efficiency 'rebound effect' where, for example, people might drive more in a fuel-efficient car or even use money saved on fuel to fund an overseas holiday.