Walker hosts Net-Zero targets expert panel discussion

With the clock ticking down to COP26 later this year, the Walker Institute have just hosted a video panel discussion on net zero targets and their place in mitigating global climate change.  Chaired by Walker researcher Ross Fairgrieve, the event engaged three climate change experts:

Dr Simon Evans deputy editor and policy editor of the Carbon Brief covering climate and energy policy. He previously worked for environment journal The ENDS Report for six years, covering topics including climate science and air pollution.

Marcia Rocha, Policy Analyst and Scientist at OECD currently working on a project on Losses and Damages from Climate Change.  Marcia has worked for the last decade on the interface between science and policy on climate change.

Associate Professor Stefan Smith is Lecturer in Energy Systems and the Built Environment, at the University of Reading and Co-Investigator at the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS). His research focusses physical, social and technical interactions in relation to energy demand.

For further information on this event that took place on the 9th September 2021 please see Walker hosts Net-Zero targets expert panel discussion | Walker Institute

 

 

 

Should your next car be electric and will it melt the grid by Dr Phil Coker

Dr Phil Coker from the University of Reading will discuss the challenges and benefits of electrifying transport. Hosted by Reading Friends of the Earth.

This event will take place on Friday 24 September 2021 at 18:30.

Dr. Phil Coker is an unashamed enthusiast for electric driving. However, there may be a bumpy road ahead both in ensuring the grid evolves as quickly as our cars and in allowing everyone to benefit from this revolution. Phil will outline the latest energy system research and industry activity that is preparing the way for electrification and will deal with some of the common misconceptions. We will then move on to a discussion of the benefits and challenges to help think through how we can all change our transport habits for the better.

You can find out more about Reading Friends of the Earth here.

Twitter – @ReadingFOE

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/groups/510395548980140

This event will take place over zoom. Once you’ve registered for this event, a zoom link will be sent to your email 48 hours before the start of the event allowing you to join.

This event is part of Reading Climate Festival, a week of free events to inspire and encourage positive action on climate change, run by Reading Climate Action Network in association with Reading Town Meal, with support from Reading’s Abbey Quarter and The Great Big Green Week.

Please see more information and register your attendance – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/should-your-next-car-be-electric-and-will-it-melt-the-grid-registration-168276516591

CREDS has funding for up to eight doctoral studentships – please apply by 16:00 on 29 October 2021

CREDS invites applications for interdisciplinary doctoral energy demand research studentships from suitably qualified individuals. Applications will include the candidate’s CV and a research proposal. They must have the support of a prospective host supervisor employed in a university that is a participant in the CREDS consortium.

Successful applicants will be encouraged to participate in CREDS networking activities and those of any successor consortium funded by UKRI for the period after March 2023.

Applicants will hold, or expect to achieve by 30 September 2022, a good undergraduate degree (at least a 2:1) or a Master’s degree from a UK university or equivalent overseas academic qualifications. The degree must be appropriate to the proposed area of study. The awards are subject to the UKRI international scholars’ rules, which allows up to 30% of funds (in this case a maximum of two students in 2022/23) to be recruited from overseas. In the event that more than two of the best eight applications come from international applicants, the strongest two will be funded. Subject to this, the strongest eight eligible applicants will be funded.

How to apply

Visit the CREDS webpage https://www.creds.ac.uk/creds-interdisciplinary-energy-demand-studentships-call/

Applications must arrive by 16:00 on 29 October 2021.

 

CREDS launch event ‘The role of energy demand reduction in achieving net-zero in the UK’ 6th Oct ’21 3-4pm.

We are pleased to invite you to the online launch of our new report: The role of energy demand reduction in achieving net-zero in the UK.

Date and time: 6 Oct, 2021 at 3-4pm.

The report provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of the role of reducing energy demand to meet the UK’s net-zero climate target. John Barrett, of CREDS, will present the key findings of the report, followed by a panel discussion with Chris Stark (CEO at Committee on Climate Change); Rebecca Willis (independent researcher) and Caterina Brandmayr (Head of Climate Policy at Green Alliance).

The authors of the report argue that meeting carbon budgets aligned with net-zero by 2050 without substantial reductions in energy demand is extremely difficult and undesirable. Without reducing energy demand, all GHG emission reductions would need to be delivered through decarbonisation of energy supply and engineered Carbon Dioxide Removal technologies.

The UK could more than halve its energy demand by 2050, making a substantial contribution to global and UK climate goals. Existing policy instruments would only reduce energy demand by 5% by 2050.

For more details and to register please visit our Eventbrite page.  A link will be sent to all those who register nearer to the event date.

How Cities Can Help Shrink The Carbon Footprint of Food Online Talk by Dr Eugene Mohareb

Join Dr. Eugene Mohareb and Reading Friends of the Earth for an online talk discussing how food consumption contributes to climate change.

The substantial contribution of food consumption to climate change necessitates urgent action to reduce the carbon intensity of the food system. While food system GHG strategies often focus on food production the urban influence dominates this sector’s emissions and consumers in cities must be the primary drivers of mitigation. Life cycle analysis of the United States food system in 2010 showed that cities directly influence approximately two-thirds of all food sector GHG emissions.

The potential for cities to reduce emissions through selected policy goals, such as scaling up urban agriculture, increasing home delivery of groceries, changes in diet, reducing food wastage or diversion of food waste from landfill will be discussed.

Dr. Eugene Mohareb is a Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Systems at the University of Reading. His research explores urban greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation measures and policy goals related to food, housing, and waste management.

When: Tuesday 21st September, 4-5:30pm.

Where: Online event.

You can register for this event here.

This event is part of Reading Climate Festival, a week of free events to inspire and encourage positive action on climate change, run by Reading Climate Action Network in association with Reading Town Meal, with support from Reading’s Abbey Quarter and The Great Big Green Week.

REGISTRATION OPEN: KTP Information Event on 15th Sept at 14:00-15:00

Research income with a 98% chance of success. Interested? Join Joanna Davies and Professor Len Shaffrey at 14:00 – 15.00 on 15th September to learn about how you could secure funding for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). All academic staff welcome.

Joanna works in the Knowledge Transfer Centre as the university’s KTP Co-ordinator and will explain what the funding scheme is, how it works and all the benefits of taking part. Professor Shaffrey has been involved with successful KTP projects in recent years and will share his experiences and top tips. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions of the panel.

Please register your interest here and a link to join the event will be emailed to you in due course.

Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund online launch : 7 September 2021

The Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) launches on 31st August 2021 and registration is now open for the online launch event on 7 Sept., 10.30 – 12.00.

The SIF will help shape the future of the gas and electricity networks through innovation. With funding from Ofgem through the price control mechanism, the SIF is expected to invest around £450m in energy network innovation by 2026.

Whilst applications for this first phase must come through energy network operators, other innovative businesses are expected to play an important role as partners and will benefit from attending the launch.

Ofgem and Innovate UK are working together on the SIF – seeking ambitious, innovative projects with the potential to benefit consumers and accelerate the transition to net zero. The objective is to help transform the UK into the ‘Silicon Valley’ of energy, making it the best place for high potential businesses to grow and scale in the energy market.

Four Innovation Challenge areas have been identified:

  • Whole system integration
  • Data and digitalisation
  • Heat
  • Zero emission transport

Any company with potential innovative solutions for the energy networks will want to understand the opportunities that the SIF offers, now and in future.

 

TVCC Windor Debates – Building back better: Strengthening digital and physical infrastructure – 23rd – 24th Sept 2021

The theme of the next Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) Windsor Debates is Building back better: Strengthening digital and physical infrastructure. The event series will be held across two days, Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th September 2021 and consists of 4 different sessions. All the information for this event is on their website HERE. Of particular relevance to you is:

Session 3: Future resilience of the built environment and physical infrastructure
09:30-11:30 Part 1: Built environment  

Panellists will include:
Anita Kasseean, Legal Director and Partner, Blake Morgan
Nia Watkins, Regional Asset Manager, Electrification, Network Rail   Part 2: Sustainable fuels

Panellists will Include:
Rachel Solomon Williams, Deputy Director, Head of Low Carbon Fuels, Department for Transport
Matt Gorman, Director of Sustainability, Heathrow
Howard Dale, General Manager, Kawasaki Motors UK
Lucy Wood, Director – Environmental Planning, Barton Willmore
Ben Lewis, Infrastructure & Energy Planning Director, Barton Willmore

The TVCC note that this Debate continues the topic of sustainability that was central to the March 2021 Windsor Debate, and that given its proximity to COP26 (November 2021 in Glasgow) they hope to feed outcomes of the Debate into the office of Alok Sharma, President of COP26.

 

CleanAir4V Upcoming Seminars: Air Pollution and Health Outcome

If you are interested in joining either of the seminars on the topics of air pollution and health, please click this link Events – University of Birmingham

Wednesday 15th September 12:00-13:00
Professor Zhuohui Zhao (Fudan University, China)
Intervention Studies on Air pollution and health in China

Wednesday 22nd September 12:00-13:00
Dr Li Liu (Tsingua University, China)
Occupational exposure risk of healthcare workers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

CleanAir4V is NERC funded network project led by University of Birmingham, aiming to link the indoor and outdoor air pollution research with the health outcome. Reading is leading the WP on built environment intervention.

 

TVCC Windor Debates – Building back better: Strengthening digital and physical infrastructure – 23rd / 24th Sept 2021

The theme of the next Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) Windsor Debates is Building back better: Strengthening digital and physical infrastructure. The event series will be held across two days, Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th September 2021 and consists of 4 different sessions. All the information for this event is on their website HERE.

Of particular relevance is:

Session 3: Future resilience of the built environment and physical infrastructure, 09:30-11:30
Part 1: Built environment  Panellists will include:
Anita Kasseean, Legal Director and Partner, Blake Morgan
Nia Watkins, Regional Asset Manager, Electrification, Network Rail   Part 2: Sustainable fuels
Panellists will Include:
Rachel Solomon Williams, Deputy Director, Head of Low Carbon Fuels, Department for TransportMatt Gorman, Director of Sustainability, HeathrowHoward Dale, General Manager, Kawasaki Motors UKLucy Wood, Director – Environmental Planning, Barton WillmoreBen Lewis, Infrastructure & Energy Planning Director, Barton Willmore

The TVCC note that this Debate continues the topic of sustainability that was central to the March 2021 Windsor Debate, and that given its proximity to COP26 (November 2021 in Glasgow) they hope to feed outcomes of the Debate into the office of Alok Sharma, President of COP26.