We are looking at different ways to make and use energy
Over the next 30 years, we will need to move away from the traditional fossil-fuel technologies which we have relied on for over a century. Our energy system will radically change meaning we will need new infrastructure, and we will need to understand how these different technologies interact. Government policies, and the decisions companies and people take, will affect how these new technologies are deployed – and perhaps, if at all.
Learn more about our research areas and facilities.
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Energy Generation
In the UK, over 85% of our energy is generated using fossil fuels in traditional technologies – petrol in our cars, coal and gas in our power stations, and usually gas in our central heating systems. Over the next decade, the Committee on Climate Change predicts we will need to completely decarbonise how we generate electricity – by switching to a portfolio of nuclear, renewables and Carbon, Capture & Storage (CCS).
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Energy Use & Demand
Over the next 30 years, we will need to change how we heat and light our homes, and drive different kinds of cars and vans. Our buildings account for over 35% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, and our cars, vans and buses account for 20%. We will need to use energy efficient technologies; switch to electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles; and build more district heating networks.
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Energy Infrastructure & Integration
Changing the way we make and use energy will mean we will need new pipes and wires, in different places; and smarter grids and networks which can handle the portfolio of new generation technologies. As our energy system grows more complex, we will also need to understand how these different technologies interact and integrate with each other.