ECI Annual Review 2006/2007 - Environmental Change Institute ...

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Energy: Lower CArbon Futures research projects Solar Schools Enhancing sustainable energy education, by providing educational materials, presentations, lists of websites to visit, twinning of schools and international competitions for both primary and secondary schools. Funders: European Commission ALTENER Programme Energy planning in developing countries: facing the challenges of equitable access, secure supply and climate change A research scoping study for UK Department for International Development, involving 3 African and one UK research partners. Aims to investigate the synergies and tradeoffs present in energy planning in Africa. Funder: UK Department for International Development ~ Partners: UK research partner: ESD Ltd African research partners: PDG - South Africa, CEEEZ - Zambia, ESDA - Kenya Metering, billing, and displays Most UK householders have only a vague idea of how much energy they are using for different purposes. This report reviews options for giving customers feedback about their usage and summarises what is known about effects on behaviour. Funder: UK Government Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs UK Energy Research Centre: Demand Reduction Theme How can we reduce the UK’s burgeoning energy demand? The programme leads national research on new technologies and finding ways of influencing consumer behaviour whilst covering concerns about distribution and affordability. Funders: Research Councils: Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPSRC), Economic and Social (ESRC), Natural Environment (NERC) Partners: Bath University, Robert Gordon University 40% House The first ever detailed agendasetting exercise for a major sector of energy use in a leading industrialised country. 40% House set out a plan for a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 for all energy use in the whole 25 million+ UK housing stock, evaluating the behavioural and technological changes required. Funders: Tyndall Centre Partners: UMIST, Heriot Watt University Green Electricity: Advising the customer With many different green electricity products on the market, customers are confused as to which ones really are best for the environment. The ECI developed a Code of Practice for suppliers, to ensure they give clear, accurate information. Funder: Good Energy cRRescendo: Integrating sustainable energy into homes Developing sustainable and energyefficient buildings for communities, incorporating energy infrastructure into 6,000 new and existing homes in four European towns. ECI is coordinating the policy, behavioural, and non-technical research. Funding: EC Concerto programme. Partners: Ecofys, NV Nuon, English Partnerships, Ove Arup, and the municipalities of Ajaccio, Almere, Milton Keynes and Viladecans
Supergen: Highly Distributed Power Systems How would the electricity network function effectively with millions of small scale distributed electricity generators? Within the SUPERGEN consortium, ECI is modelling the performance of solar photovoltaic systems and looking into policies that support and encourage the uptake of household-scale energy generation. Funders: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ~ Partners: The Turbo Genset Company Ltd, Scottish Power, Rolls Royce plc, Intelligent Power Systems Ltd Integrated Travel Emissions Profiles Investigating greenhouse gas pollutant emissions and related climate change impacts from transport at the personal, household and local levels. Funders: Economic and Social Research Council Building MArket Transformation BMT aims to explore what is needed to achieve a 50 per cent cut in carbon emissions from buildings as quickly as possible. Although there is significant potential for existing technology to reduce carbon emissions in both domestic and non-domestic buildings, improvements are not being made. This applies both to new buildings and the refurbishment of existing ones. The BMT project will explore social and economic as well as environmental considerations. For example, people’s behaviour is changing in relation to buildings as they demand more space, heat, hot water and appliances as living standards improve. In looking to develop policy solutions, the initiative will also explore institutional, legal and technical UK Energy Research Centre: Meeting Place A networking hub for international experts across all energy disciplines. The Meeting Place hosts short intensive sessions on horizon scanning, agenda setting, and promoting collaborative research on sustainable energy economies. Funders: Research Councils: Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPSRC), Economic and Social (ESRC), Natural Environment (NERC) issues. A series of seminars will involve key decision-makers from industry and government to discuss the changes necessary to achieve such a cut. It will also develop a publicly available computer model of the UK’s building stock which will enable policy measures to be assessed in terms of their direct and indirect impact on emissions. BMT will help inform the future direction of carbon-saving research and policies. The aim is to help develop a consensus between industry and government about what needs to be done, when and how. Example reports and papers include: • The effectiveness of feedback on energy consumption: a review for the UK Government’s Department of Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs of the Wind Power and the UK Wind Resource The long-term characteristics of the UK wind resource, including temporal and geographical variability and intermittency. Funders: UK Government’s Department of Trade & Industry • • • • literature on metering, billing, and direct displays Can Energy Services Companies deliver low carbon new build homes? The cost of a 60% cut in CO 2 emissions from homes: what do experience curves tell us? Aiming at a 60% reduction in CO 2 : implications for residential lights, appliances, and microgeneration Liberating the power of Energy Services and ESCOs in a liberalised energy market Funders: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Carbon Trust Partners: Universities of Bath, Cardiff, Strathclyde, and Surrey
Page 1 and 2: Environmental Change Institute Annu
Page 3 and 4: ECI in 2006 .......................
Page 5 and 6: News from the Director Diana Liverm
Page 7 and 8: p 14 p 24 ECI coordinates 23 global
Page 9 and 10: Climate Mitigation Research The att
Page 11 and 12: Informing international climate pol
Page 13 and 14: impacts throughout all the business
Page 15 and 16: BRANCH: Biodiversity Requires Adapt
Page 17 and 18: Pan-Amazonia Project: for the Advan
Page 19 and 20: much on numerical targets appear to
Page 21 and 22: Prof Maria carmen-lemos Maria Carme
Page 23: energy sources also contribute to c
Page 27 and 28: Ecosystems: Conservation Practice
Page 29 and 30: Soil Erosion in Europe provides a u
Page 31 and 32: Alexandra Morel To what extent is p
Page 33 and 34: Over 350 students have successfully
Page 35 and 36: of 2005 & 2006 Sarah Stephen, India
Page 37 and 38: Harrison, P.A., Berry, P.M., Butt,
Page 39 and 40: Tipping Point 2006: Climate and Art

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