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What do we know? - a few of the insights arising from UKERC research
UKERC Research
We carry out world-class research into sustainable future energy systems. This research is interdisciplinary and takes a whole systems approach to inform UK policy development and UK research strategy. The research programme is framed by the challenges of a changing energy agenda driven by environmental and security concerns:
These challenges are being addressed by drawing on competences within and across the five research themes below. |
Research Themes
UKERC's research objectives are being addressed within five broad themes, within which a number of co-ordinated, interdisciplinary projects are taking place:
Technology and Policy Assessment
The Technology and Policy Assessment (TPA) function was established to meet demand from policymakers, industry and other stakeholders for independent, policy-relevant assessments that address key issues and controversies in the energy field.
The TPA team draws on existing energy research to develop accessible, credible and authoritative reports relevant to policymakers, other stakeholders and wider public debate.
Energy and Environment
The overall aim of the Energy and environment theme is to gain a better understanding of the extent to which exploitation of land based and marine renewable energy resources may undermine or change delivery of essential ecosystem services. This extends to consideration of the global impact of the UK carbon footprint of energy production and carbon abatement technologies.
Energy Supply
The aim of the Energy Supply theme is to investigate UK energy supply to 2050, taking into account the radical developments being put in place from 2020 onwards. The team are investigating options for longer term decarbonisation, while recognising the long life-time of energy assets and the need for a smooth trajectory of change.
Energy Demand
The objectives of the theme are to research how socio-economic and technical change affect energy demand in the UK, and to apply this to the need for more radical change to respond to climate and energy security challenges.
Energy Systems
The overall aim of the Energy Systems theme is to make a world-class contribution to energy system modelling by showing how the UK, in a range of global contexts, could achieve its carbon targets and increase its energy system resilience over the period 2020-2050, and exploring the associated economic and environmental implications.
Download summaries of the research projects being undertaken in our five research themes:
UKERC Phase II Flagship Projects
UKERC Phase II Research is being integrated into two distinct but overlapping projects Energy Strategy Under Uncertainty and UK Energy in a Global Context. Both address decision making and policy implementation to 2030, but with regard for the UK and international community's longer term energy and climate policy objectives and ambitions. More information can be found here.
Research Fund
60% of the Research Programme budget supports UKERC’s core research programme, The remainder is targeted at a competitively-bid Research Fund. Research Co-ordination
The research co-ordination team are: Dr Mark Winskel (Research Co-ordinator), and Ioanna Ketsopoulou (Research Assistant).
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UKERC Phase I 2004-2009
The most ambitious cross-theme project was UKERC Energy 2050, launched in April 2009. |
If you have any questions on our research activity, call +44 (0) 20 7594 1574 or email ioanna.ketsopoulou@ukerc.ac.uk