Events

A 3-day retreat for early-stage DPhil students working on Energy Transition subjects. The retreat combines focused writing time with expert-led workshops on academic writing and presentation skills, aiming to create a distraction-free environment where participants have the space, structure and support to progress with their work. Participation is free of charge.

Summary: The window for effective climate action continues to narrow, and how the UK imagines its energy future matters. The Decarbonising the UK Revisited project examined over 80 energy scenarios developed between 2000 and 2009, comparing the futures explored with what has since materialised. The retrospective analysis found that only one scenario explored energy demand close to realised levels, many [...]

Summary: Climate change is affecting the frequency and severity of extreme weather events around the globe. This presents a range of challenges for the energy system from the effective operation of ageing infrastructure, through end user demand changes to siting considerations for new infrastructure development. In this talk Prof Sparrow will demonstrate how consideration of likely future changes in wind, [...]

Summary: It has been nearly a decade since China began to be recognised as a global clean energy technology leader, rather than just a low-cost manufacturing centre for commoditised or copycat goods. What policies, institutions, and economic forces support clean energy innovation in China? What can other countries learn from China’s success, if anything? Will China have a permanent or [...]

Summary: The main goal of this talk is to provide a current overview of the challenges and opportunities for electric energy systems resulting from the build-up of AI data centers. The talk will begin with the latest data on ongoing and projected growth in electric power load growth along with a discussion of key uncertainties and barriers. Next,  the impacts [...]

Summary: While support for net zero has become more fragmented, the majority of the UK public are still concerned about, and support action on, climate change. Recent research suggests that the level of ambition for demand-side measures in meeting our climate targets has been too constrained. This seminar will discuss the results of a two-year citizens’ panel exploring the social [...]

Summary: David installed a 4 kWp solar array and a 10 kWh battery system at his home in Oxford in 2023. In this talk, David will share what the data so far reveal about system performance, including operational modes, energy production and throughput, and the resulting cost savings and payback. He will also use historical data to explore how different [...]