Fullscreen

Print

Research Topics


Three parallel research projects are in progress:

Project 1: To evaluate the global impact of the UK ecological/carbon footprint of energy production/carbon abatement technologies 

We are conducting detailed multi-country analyses of the environmental impacts associated with UK trade flows and the implications of decisions made in the UK for global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This means enhancing the SEI’s “UK-MRIO 1” model by improving the treatment of technological efficiency in other world regions and extending the model to include multi-directional trade. The second work package in this project will use the MRIO framework to test different energy/carbon abatement technologies and their impact on ecosystem services.

Research on the ecosystem service of CO2 uptake for climate regulation in marine and terrestrial systems undertaken by two PhD students will be fed into the model. The ultimate aim is to develop an accounting framework for testing a range of UK energy production technologies and their associated impacts on ecosystem services in any part of the world.

This work is being done in collaboration with the Energy Systems theme to link energy systems models and embedded carbon calculated using input-output approaches.

 

Project 2: To develop tools for assessing the environmental impact of energy exploitation/carbon abatement in the marine environment and to optimise opportunities for improved sustainability

Physical and biological modellers are working together to develop model systems working at a scale relevant to physical and biological processes affected by offshore windfarms and other energy activities such as carbon capture and storage (CCS).  This will result in a nested model within the POLCOMS-ERSEM1 ecosystem model allowing us to evaluate the cumulative impacts of energy technologies and interactions with other coastal activities.

Second, the potential of offshore windfarms to provide socio-economic benefits through multiple-use, added value and improved ecosystem service (habitat creation; fish stock recovery; recreational fishing etc) is being investigated.  Finally, building on the first two work packages, we are using an area within the east coast North Sea as a test bed to forecast the potential of offshore wind to provide ecosystem goods and services to society, taking into account downstream implications.
 

Project 3: To develop tools for assessing integrated approaches to sustain and improve water and soil quality in the context of exploiting bioenergy resources  

Research based on an ecosystems services approach at the catchment scale on the east coast of England will predict the environmental and socio-economic outcomes of a major bioenergy programme based on low nutrient input agriculture, including short rotation coppice and tall grasses. It is not yet clear how impacts on climate, soil and water should be balanced against those on ecosystem functioning, biodiversity, social acceptance and the rural economy.

Three PhD studentships will together deliver an integrated soil-water-carbon-economic model of the physical, chemical and economic impacts of bioenergy crops. The work will have a participatory technology assessment element, specifically using the Deliberative Mapping methodology to appraise bioenergy resources in relation to other forms of electricity generation. The modelling work will be linked to the carbon footprinting work proposed in project 1.

 

1 European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model

 

The following project is supported by UKERC's Research Fund and sits within the Energy and Environment theme.

Spatial Mapping and Evaluation of Energy Crop Distribution in Great Britain to 2050

The project explores the potential use of bioenergy crops across the UK, looking at feasibility, sustainability implications, and constraints on production opportunities. more


 

Page last modified on Thursday 15 of September, 2011 15:33:20 BST