The Supergen Energy Networks (SEN) Hub have been involved in a number of activities focussing on ‘The Role of Energy Networks Towards the 2035 Emissions Target’ and Net Zero. Activities have included participation in the EPSRC Net Zero Week, COP26 and Green Infrastructure Week.
EPSRC Net Zero Week (June 2022)
From the 20 – 24th June, we were involved in both online and in person events related to the EPSRC Net Zero Week which was held in Glasgow.
Slides Presented at Net Zero
Our Net Zero slide pack which was presented on our stand at Net Zero is available to view.
Online Webinars
Online sessions discussing ‘If Energy Storage becomes ubiquitous, do we really need Energy Networks’, hosted by the Energy Networks Hub and ‘What are the social implicatations of a move to Net Zero’ jointly hosted by all Supergen Hubs took place during the week. Experts from Industry and Academia presented and were involved in discussions.
Recordings of the sessions are available to view below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8u9rWi9sIc&ab_channel=SupergenEnergyNetworksHub
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYixLH9U8Zw&ab_channel=SupergenEnergyNetworksHub
COP26 Activities:
Net Zero Workshops
In June the hub hosted a series of workshops in which leading Academics and Industry experts joined live webinar discussions on the Market & Regulations, Social and Technical implications/aspects of future energy networks, towards the UK Government targets. Our Early Career Researchers held an online event as part of the workshops looking at Data in Energy Networks.
Policy Papers
Discussions from the workshops have resulted in 3 Policy Papers being produced by the hub, these are available to view (below) and will be showcased by our Director, Professor Phil Taylor during COP26.
Market & Regulations
The Markets & Regulations panel focussed on the question as to how low carbon technologies can be suitably incentivised to provide the flexibility needed to integrate high levels of new variable renewable energy technologies, explicitly considering how constraints of network infrastructure might influence the whole system approach.
The Policy Paper is available to view.
Social
Hosted by the Black South West Network (BSWN), the second workshop concentrated on the Social aspects of future energy systems. The panel discussed how we can better enable voices from underrepresented communities to engage with the sustainable energy discussion, the barriers hindering these communities and the unseen and unintended consequences of changes to energy networks.
The Social Policy Paper is now available to view.
Technical
Our third workshop focussed on the Technical challenges facing energy networks in light of the 2035 target. Focussing on whole energy networks transformation and significant investments, as well as the electrification of heat and transport, and the role of the gas network in a Net Zero world and uses of hydrogen in the economy.
The Technical Policy Paper is available to view.
Joint Supergen Hub Conference
In September SEN joined the Bio, Super Solar, Offshore Renewables, Storage+ and Hydrogen Hubs to run a 3 day online conference. The conference explored the role of energy research in the pathway to net zero. Over the course of 3 days, each hub showcased their research as well leading on cross-cutting panel discussions exploring topics such as Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and International perspectives on energy research. The Early Career Researchers (ECR) outlined their activities and the conference closed with a session outlining policy implications of Supergen research for COP26.
SEN led a session on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion as well as our own Networks Session exploring ‘The Role of Energy Networks towards the 2035 Emissions Target’ Running alongside the conference, our Early Career Researchers led an online session on ‘Data in Energy Networks’
Details of our sessions (below) as well as recordings of all conference sessions are available to view on the website.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
COP26 – Energy Day
On the 4 November, Professor Sara Walker (Deputy Director SEN Hub) along with 3 SEN Researchers (Laiz Souto, Yang Gao and Ali Ehsan), joined representatives from the Supergen Hubs to attend Energy Day at COP26. The event enabled each hub to showcase their hubs perspectives on ‘The Role of Energy Research in the Pathway to Net Zero’.
A summary of the event by Dr Laiz Souto is available to read via our news page.
