Büro Karl Holmer Sachverständiger für Kraftfahrzeuge - Echinger Forum

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0 Energy The climate is changing because of the way that we – humans – use fossil fuels. As we are the problem, it should be possible for us to be the solution. ECI’s Lower Carbon Futures Team (LCF) develops policy ideas to support a transition to an equitable, low-carbon society. The work is funded by grants from UK research councils and the EU, and through contracts with government departments and clients from industry and civil society. The focus is on policy analysis and the development of innovative ideas for energy saving and adoption of low-carbon energy generation technologies in the medium- to long-term. The UK Government’s target of a 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 is taken as a given; every year this becomes more challenging, as the UK has achieved only minor carbon reductions since 1990. We use computer modelling and back-casting techniques (ie starting with long-term targets and working backwards from the future to the present) to analyse how current policy needs to change. We typically develop scenarios using bottom-up modelling techniques, built on detailed options for how society and the economy might develop. We explore the potential for reducing demand for energy as well as developing low-carbon supply options. By comparing these future scenarios with current policy and practice, we are able to highlight priorities for policy and set out key strategic issues. New initiatives are urgently needed if the 2050 target is to be met. We work collaboratively with other academic research groups and partners from government and industry. At any one time we are normally working with over a dozen such organisations. Since October 2004, Brenda Boardman has been a Co-Director of the UK Energy Research Centre, leading the Demand Reduction theme. Several members of the LCF team undertake this research into all UK energy use, together with colleagues in other universities. LCF members produce policy proposals, research reports, responses to government consultations on energy and climate change, consultancy reports, conference and journal papers, presentations to a wide variety of audiences, and contributions to the wider debate in the general media. Leader: Dr Brenda Boardman MBE Key Research Topics • • • • • • • • Buildings Energy Behaviour Energy in the Developing World Fuel Poverty Lights and Appliances Low Carbon Economy Renewable Energy Transport Buildings Research Our major report, 40% House, identified the scale of the changes needed in the residential sector. The UK Domestic Carbon Model (UKDCM) has been developed and will be made publicly available early in 2007. The research is now extending to the non-domestic sector, through Building Market Transformation. This presents an even greater challenge, as the base data are so poor. Energy Behaviour Research Energy systems are socio-technical - they are strongly influenced by personal and social variables. We take a particular interest in individual and social learning about energy; the uses of feedback on consumption in altering behaviour; and the changes in people’s ideas of comfort over time. The importance – and the challenge - of including behavioural factors is being recognised by energy modellers and policy makers. Energy in the Developing World Research The research emphasis is on initiatives to lift the 2 billion people who lack access to modern or improved energy services out of poverty, and combat problems such as indoor air pollution and land degradation caused by reliance on inefficient traditional forms of energy. Sustainable energy is critical in meeting the Millennium Development Goals to halve global poverty by 2015, as safe, secure and efficient forms of energy are vital to economic activity, healthcare, education, transport, and protecting natural resources. Inefficient
energy sources also contribute to climate change and increase reliance on diminishing natural resources or imported fuels, lessening energy security. Fuel Poverty Research The problem of eradicating fuel poverty in UK households has increased with the doubling of domestic energy prices since 2002. The challenge for the Government of meeting this legal obligation and energy policy objective has become acute. LCF research assesses the impact of current and possible future energy policies on vulnerable households. A network of researchers across Europe is being established to enable the UK’s experience to be shared with central and eastern European countries, where fuel poverty is an emergent problem. Lights and Appliances Research LCF has a long-established database of energy use in residential lights and appliances, incorporating ownership levels, energy efficiency and usage patterns. This enables us to create detailed scenarios for the impact of lights and appliances in the future and to inform EU and UK policy. Our approach is based on Market Transformation theory and provides evidence that product policies can lead to significant CO2 savings. As with buildings, this research is now extending to the use of lights and appliances in non- domestic buildings. The equipment may be the same, but the resultant energy use is poorly understood. Low Carbon Economy Research How can carbon dioxide emissions be best accounted for in relation to all economic activity? Two key policy instruments are taxation and emissions trading, with each approach having its pros and cons. ECI contributes to this wider debate in its work on Personal Carbon Trading, analysing the detail of how a future scheme might work, based on emissions trading at the level of the individual. Renewable Energy Research While some renewables provide energy on demand (eg landfill gas), the availability of others changes according to local climate characteristics. Our research focuses on the resource properties of wind, wave, tidal and solar photovoltaic generating systems, together with Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems. By understanding the variability of these (over time and in different places around the UK), it is possible to design and optimize a diverse renewable energy portfolio that provides greater resource reliability and lower system variability (or intermittency). This will in turn affect key operational aspects of the electricity grid, such as backup capacity and load following capacity. Transport Research A major focus is on personal travel profiles, identifying the contribution to carbon emissions from different travel patterns. A large proportion of all emissions comes from the highest 10% of users. The debate on the potential conflicts between climate change policy and the expected growth in UK aviation was the focus of an ECI publication: Predict and decide – Aviation, climate change and UK policy. Key Publications Cairns, S., Newson, C., Boardman, B. & Anable, J. (2006) Predict and decide: Aviation, climate change and UK policy. ECI Research Report 33. Boardman, B., Jardine, C. & Lipp, J. (2006) Green Electricity Code of Practice: A Scoping Study. Boardman, B., Darby, S., Killip, G., Hinnells, M., Jardine, C., Palmer, J. and Sinden, G. (2005) 40% House. ECI Research Report 31. 1
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Büro Karl Holmer Sachverständiger für Kraftfahrzeuge - Echinger Forum

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