Energy Research and Innovation in the Regions

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Energy Research and Innovation in the Regions

• Prof Nick Jenkins, FREng
• (Joule Centre for Energy Research in Englands
  North West)
• Regions, Energy and Climate Conference
• 25th October 2006

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Context - UK Energy Policy

• Energy White Paper of 2003
• Emphasis on Renewables, Energy Efficiency, use of
  Gas
• Each region should develop and implement an
  energy strategy
• Energy Review completed July 2005
• Increasing evidence of Climate Change
• High and sustained international energy prices
• UK becoming a net oil and gas importer
• Increasing sensitivity over energy security

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Goals of UK Energy Policy

• To put ourselves on a path to 60 CO2 reduction
  with real progress by 2020
• To maintain the reliability of energy supplies
• To promote competitive markets in UK and beyond
• To ensure every home is adequately and affordably
  heated

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UK Gas supply (an example of the energy challenge
facing the UK)

• UK is currently 90-95 self-sufficient in gas
  supplies.
• 1/3 electricity generation, 1/3 domestic, 1/3
  industrial
• Declining indigenous gas production
• By 2010, the UK will be reliant on imports for
  45 of its gas supplies. Natural gas will then
  account for 46 of fuel use in electric power
  plants
• 40 of the worlds gas resources lie in Caspian
  and Persian Gulf states

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Implications for Innovation and Energy RD

• Innovation is essential to deliver a sustainable
  low carbon energy system
• Long term decline in UK energy RD budgets
  followed by recent increase
• UK energy research capacity needs to be expanded
• Significant skills gaps in the UK energy sector
  (university research produces trained people as
  well as ideas)

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Why is a Regional emphasis required for
innovation?

• Effective Demand Side measures are essential to
  make real progress on 60 CO2 reduction by 2020,
  and will require local public support.
• Large Scale Supply Side measures require major
  infrastructure developments (and possible changes
  in the Planning System)
• Small Scale Supply Side measures (e.g.
  MicroGeneration) require active, local public
  support
• Reductions in Energy use in Transport require
  local public involvement

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Why is a Regional emphasis required for Energy
RD?

• Decline in central research facilities of the
  nationalised energy industries
• Loss of research capacity of national champions
  in energy manufacturing sector
• Expectation that Universities will provide an
  alternative source of Energy RD
• Attraction of Distributed or Virtual research
  centre models
• General lack of RD capacity for the extent of
  the challenge
• Regional strategic approach to energy is needed

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UK Energy RDPublic Sector Budgets
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Energy in Englands NW

• Englands North West contains approximately 7M
  people and an economy of 100B.
• The 2003 study Energy in Englands North West
  identified an energy cluster of companies
  employing 53,000 people with a turnover of 5B.
• In the Regions HEIs approximately 40 Departments
  were active in some form of energy RD. Strengths
  on Demand and Supply side.
• Major commercial organisations with an interest
  in energy located within the Region. Large energy
  user community.

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The NW Energy Sector

• Includes generation, transmission, distribution,
  conversion, consumption, equipment manufacture.
• Covers oil, gas, electricity, nuclear
  renewables
• Employs 53,000 people
• Annual turnover 5bn
• Exports 1.2bn pa
• Higher than average UK energy intensity

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Joule Centre Vision

• To create an internationally-leading energy
  research centre in Englands North West which
  will significantly increase the regions research
  capabilities in key areas of sustainable energy
  technologies and energy systems

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Slide modified from Energy Technology Institute
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Joule Centre key challenges

• Build energy RD capacity in North West. Build
  collaboration within Regional RD base.
• Joule Forum for wide engagement if stakeholders
• Energy Technologies
• Energy Supply Technologies
• Demand Reduction Technologies
• Energy Strategy
• Energy Supply Strategy
• Demand Reduction Strategy

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Regional Energy Policy Support

• Understand and quantify Regional energy use.
• Understand and quantify effectiveness of Demand
  Reduction measures presently operating in the
  Region.
• Investigate additional Demand Reduction measures
  that may be effective
• Investigate possibilities for local supply side
  measures

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Regional Energy Technology RD Support

• Objective is to create regional energy RD
  clusters.
• Link HEIs with regional commercial/public sector
  organisations
• Undertake collaborative research and build
  capability to attract other research funds
• Move on to Demonstration and Dissemination
  projects with NWDA and other support

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Research Themes funded

• Wet Renewables
• Tidal energy, small scale hydro, wave energy.
• Demand Reduction
• LED based lighting, smart metering, low carbon
  pathways for aviation
• Seed Corn Grants
• 1 year duration, 50k max
• Recipients to date Liverpool, Lancaster,
  Manchester, MMU

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Research Themes
NW Energy Council
Joule Centre
Policy Support
NW Energy Economy
Demonstration Projects
Energy Assessment Modelling
NW Energy Industry
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NW Energy Council

• Formed in October 2003
• Meets quarterly
• Role is to advise the NWDA in development and
  implementation of the Regional Economic Strategy
  as it relates to energy, creating
• Wealth and employment
• Greater diversity and security of supply
• Environmental improvements from clean and
  sustainable energy systems
• Supports initiatives such as Regional Climate
  Change and Energy Action Plan

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Other Regional Energy Initiatives

• NaREC, New and Renewable Energy Centre in the
  North East
• Major test and development facilities for wind
  turbines, marine renewables and photovoltaics
• ISET Institute for Solar Energy Technology
  Kassel.
• RD Institute associated with the University of
  Kassel specialising in photovoltaics, wind
  energy, biomass and use of renewables

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Conclusions

• Difficult to see implementation of a sustainable
  energy economy at the scale/rate of change
  required without Regional involvement.
• Energy RD capacity is now dispersed around a
  large number of universities.
• It is in the Regions interest to break the link
  between energy intensity and economic
  development.
• Low carbon energy technologies/systems offer very
  real wealth creation opportunities.