Supergen’s flex fund has supported 24 projects with over £730,000 over the 5 years the hub has been running. This support has led to a range of positive outcomes

The Supergen flex fund was established to allow the Hub to fund research based on events/discoveries made during the Hub’s lifetime. The flex fund has supported 24 projects with over £730,000 during Supergen’s lifetime, with many projects leading to further research/project bids. The scope of projects supported via the travel fund has been very broad, ranging from £100,000 fully fledged projects lasting 15 months, to market research pieces costing £3000.

Researchers who have received flex funding have said that the flexibility given by the grants has led to much improved outcomes compared to more typical funding awarded by typical funding bodies. The flex fund has supported Early Career Researchers (ECR’s) in their career development through the ECR and ECR outreach funding calls, as well as supporting Female and Non-Binary researchers through our Women and Non-Binary funding call. In many cases, the projects funded have been the Principal Investigators first experience of leading a research project, a key stepping-stone in career progression.

Supergen CO-I Dr Sridhar Adepu secures KTP Funded by Innovate UK for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Anomaly Detection and RITICS Fellowship for Thought Leadership in Cyber-Physical Systems

A warm congratulations to Dr Sridhar Adepu, who recently secured significant funding to contribute to the field of Critical National Infrastructure Security, with a specific focus on energy systems. The 2 grants will enable Sridhar to undertake research and develop innovative solutions to address the challenges posed by cyber threats.

The two projects are:

  1. KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) funded by Innovate UK for 27 months  together with Synoptix Ltd. This work focuses on applied Artificial Intelligence to build a model to take a decision during uncertainty which will be used in anomaly detection caused by cyber-attacks.
  2. Research Institute in Trustworthy Inter-connected Cyber-physical Systems (RITICS) Fellowship (23 to 24). The formation of RITICS was originally driven by UK Natonal Cyber Security Centre, stemming from what they identify as a topic of national importance. “The RITICS Fellowship roles are leadership roles and provide thought leadership in the RITICS Community and beyond.”  
Brea Award


Supergen Biohub, Supergen Offshore Renewables and Supergen Energy Networks collaborate for Future Game Changers Award at the British Renewable Energy Awards

Are you a postgraduate student and do you have an innovative idea or concept that could accelerate the race to achieve net zero? If yes to the above, you are invited to submit a short video or poster to showcase your idea for this year’s Future Game Changers Award as part of the joint submission from Supergen Energy Networks, Supergen BioHub and Supergen Offshore Renewables.

The winner will be announced as part of the British Renewable Energy Awards at the Gala Awards Dinner on 23rd June 2023 at The Grosvenor Hotel Ballroom in London. A shortlist of finalists will be invited to enjoy the evening courtesy of the Award sponsors, Glennmont Partners by Nuveen.

The winner will be decided live on the night as all guests at the Awards Gala Dinner will be asked to vote for their favourite idea. The winner will receive the Award along with a bursary.

It is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the work that is taking place within our academic institutions and network with a whole host of contacts from across industry and policy at the Awards ceremony.

Entries can be submitted in various forms ranging from a photo of an illustrative size A0 POSTER to a VIDEO ENTRY of 5 minutes or less. Submissions to be sent to supergen-bioenergy@aston.ac.uk or via WeTransfer to supergen-bioenergy@aston.ac.uk Deadline is 8 June 2023.

For more information please visit the Supergen BioHub website. Inspiration from last year’s winner and shortlisted entries and top tips video can be viewed on YouTube.

Supergen are partnering with UKERC to host their International Summer School in Global Just Transition: Equity in Net Zero. Links to the UKERC article, summer school programme and application form can be found below. Application deadline 05/04/2023

We are delighted to announce that we are partnering with UKERC and others to host UKERC’s summer school in Global Just Transition: Equity in Net Zero. The following information about the Summer school has been taken from the UKERC website:

Summer school format
The event will have an international, interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach throughout the week-long programme, which focuses on a global just transition and equity in net zero. The summer school will develop the next generation of academics, decision-makers and professionals currently completing their doctoral training, and will help them appreciate both the complexities and opportunities related to the global implementation of net zero. Early career researchers[1] are also welcome to apply.

The event will be an engaging mix of lectures and skills-based workshops, along with networking opportunities. It will also include a focus on a problem-based scenario developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, the output from which will support real life decision making and solutions. The programme will also include social events and site visits to maximise opportunities for attendees to interact with each other and develop networks with like-minded individuals.

Key information
The summer school will take place in Newcastle 19-23 June 2023, and we are opening applications on the 27th of February. We are keen to see applications from CDT and DTP students across the UK, and international students.

The fee for participating in the summer school is £400, which includes accommodation, meals, site visits and local transfers within Newcastle. Students are expected to pay for their travel to and from Newcastle and visas where applicable, and any additional expenses incurred outside of the summer school. Financial assistance for travel and visas will also be available to support 20 students of lesser means to attend. With the global aspect of the summer school in mind, we are particularly keen to welcome students from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and South and Central America.

The deadline for applications is 12.00 GMT, Thursday 5 April, 2023. Applications will go through a two-stage process, with initial eligibility screening undertaken by UKERC, after which Part B of the application form will then anonymised before it is reviewed by the summer school steering group. For more information about the review process, please see page 3 of the application form.

We are keen to see applications from a large, diverse group of students, both nationally and internationally so please circulate this page to networks and colleagues as appropriate.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact ukerc@ucl.ac.uk.

UKERC summer school article: International Summer School in Global Just Transition: Equity in Net Zero | UKERC | The UK Energy Research Centre

Summer school programme (draft): Summer-School-Programme_Draft.pdf (d2e1qxpsswcpgz.cloudfront.net)

Summer school application form: Summer-School-Application-Form.docx (live.com)

Supergen Energy Networks are pleased to announce that Professor Phil Taylor (University of Bristol) has been asked to join the government’s ‘Net Zero Innovation Board’ as an independent member.

Chaired by Sir Patrick Vallance (The Government Chief Scientific Adviser), the purpose of the board is to provide strategic oversight of government funding of net-zero innovation programmes. Specifically, the board will: 


Phil Taylor will join a team of technical experts and stakeholders from a range of backgrounds including government departments, public bodies, industry, and academia. 

Since its inception, one of the goals of the Supergen Energy Networks project is to help shape investment and inform policy making to help achieve net-zero. Phil’s position on the board is an opportunity to further fulfil this aim. 

Further information about the Net Zero Innovation Board can be found on the gov.uk website.

“I am delighted to be given this opportunity and look forward to working with the board to identify practical ways we can scale up and unlock innovation in pursuit of net zero.”
Phil Taylor, Director, Supergen Energy Networks

Professor Sara Walker and Dr David Greenwood recently took place in a video to talk about how technology can be used to help us adapt our lives to a changed climate.

The Life Sciences team recently visited the Urban Sciences Building (USB), Newcastle University, to look at what the North East are doing in the fight against Climate Change.

The video is available to view via the Life website.

This week Professor Phil Taylor, Director, Supergen Energy Networks Hub and Professor Sara Walker, Deputy Director, featured on Sky News to discuss Hydrogen.  Professor Walker advised that around 95% of UK Hydrogen is generated from fossil fuels, while Professor Taylor advised that Hydrogen will feature strongly in all our low carbon futures.

“low carbon sources will be needed to tackle climate change”

Dr Robin Preece and Dr Ali Ehsan (Manchester University), recently wrote an article which was published in The Conversation about Heat Pumps and their increased electricity demand if millions more people switch to this form of heating.

“There’s only so much power you can get through a line or cable before it overheats and fails”

In its bid to massively reduce household use of greenhouse gases to net zero by 2050, the UK government aims to encourage the installation of 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028.

Heat pumps are a relatively new technology that take heat from the air outside, or the ground, to be circulated around a central heating and hot water system, using electricity. They are far more clean and energy efficient than gas.

The increased electricity demand caused by heat pumps if millions more people switch to this form of heating could place an “unmanageable burden” on the electrical grid, increasing the risk of power cuts, according to recent research using data from 6,600 gas-heated homes and 600 homes with heat pumps.

Without additional investments in electricity networks and additional innovations, such power cuts will be more likely. There are ways to reduce this risk but these mean major investment, financial incentives and public acceptance. The government has acknowledged the need to upgrade the grid.

The full article is available to read on the website.

Supergen Deputy Director, Professor Sara Walker, features in an interview and gives her advice on reducing vehicle emissions.

Cars

“Think about active modes of travel – and by active, I mean walking, cycling, scootering and for us to also use public transport.”

Professor Sara Walker, Deputy Director, Supergen Energy Networks Hub

Vehicle use in Newcastle is a large contributor to the city’s carbon emissions. With 96,000 cars registered within the region and over 55% of journeys made by private vehicles, more can be done to reduce the environmental impact our commutes have on the planet.

With COP26 currently underway, this ITV article provdies insight about how climate change is affecting the North East of England. 

CESI Director, Professor Sara Walker, spoke in an ITV news article this week which highlighted the localised impacts of climate change to the North East of the UK.

Sara gave advice on how the people of Newcastle can reduce carbon emissions and emphasised how important these actions are for the future.

The international aspiration to reach net zero carbon in energy systems by 2050 is growing. In the UK, the government has set a target of ‘Net Zero’ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 in order to reduce contribution to global warming.

Facing pressure to be fit for a net zero GHG future, energy networks in the UK, and across the globe, are undergoing modernisation and investment. In order to ensure this investment is effective, energy network integration is a high priority for the UK regulator OFGEM, and hence the work of the Supergen Energy Networks Hub is urgent and timely.

This report summarises key academic literature with regards integrated energy network modelling across multiple vectors. This review will enable the Supergen Energy Networks Hub to address gaps in the review, and thereby contribute to the sector.

See the report here: Horizon scanning report 2020-21