Transcript DECC Priorities Brendan Roth

CHALLENGES AHEAD
DECC RD&D Priorities
Dr Brendan Roth
5th July 2016
DECC Objectives
Ensure the UK has a secure and resilient energy system
Keep energy bills as low as possible
Secure ambitious action on climate change while reducing carbon
emissions cost-effectively at home
Manage the UK’s energy legacy safely and responsibly
Sources: technologymag.net; newenergyandfuel.com; fas.org
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Domestic Targets
GHGs
-80%
1990
2050
Climate Change Act 2008
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International Agreements
Source: theconversation.com
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Carbon Budgets
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Energy Innovation
Spending review 2015
• Doubled DECC innovation budget
• £505 million over 5 years
• £250m on nuclear research
Mission Innovation
• 20 countries
• Doubling clean energy R&D over 5 years
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Climate Research
MOHC Climate
Programme
£16m/year
Co-funded w/ Defra
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Key RD&D Priorities
Themes
Needs
• Heat
• In-depth understanding
• Energy efficiency
• Innovative ways of operating
• Smart
• Cost reduction
• Renewables & storage
• Forecasting
• Industrial energy
• Nuclear
• Climate change
While our RD&D priorities are shaped by policy needs, we recognise that
long-term research in other areas is also crucial.
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Heat
• 45% of all energy use
• ~1/3 of GHG emissions
• Cost-effective, low-carbon vectors are needed
Breakdown of final energy consumption in the UK
300
mtoe
250
200
Space Heating
150
Water Heating
100
Cooking
50
Industrial Processes
0
Transport
Heat
Other
Source: Energy Consumption in the UK, 2014
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Energy Efficiency
Barriers
• Expensive, disruptive, specialist skills & knowledge required.
We need
• Tools & approaches to
overcome these barriers
• Innovation materials
• Better energy
performance in products
Source: NEED 2016
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Smart
Policy
Innovative ideas & technologies
• Smart meters in most homes by
2020
• At all scales
• Capabilities to handle and utilise
large datasets needed
• To create effective, resilient and
balanced energy systems
• Securely
Source: inovtech.org.hk
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Renewables
Grid-scale storage
• Balance intermittency
• Integrated smart technology
Cost-reduction
• For all renewable technologies
• Need to be cost-competitive
Offshore wind
• Strong global position
Source: DUKES 2015
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Nuclear
Part of our energy pathway to decarbonisation
New nuclear
• Small modular reactors
• Gen IV
• Fast reactors
Life-cycle innovations
• Fabrication, generation, construction
• Decommissioning, waste management, disposal, legacy
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Industrial Energy
CCS & CCU
• Cost & operability improvements needed
Energy efficiency
• New vectors & fuels
• Heat recovery
Source: cleantechnica.com
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Climate Change
Modelling
earth
systems
Building
resilience
Understand
-ing impacts
Long-term
datasets
Sources: cnes.fr; metoffice.co.uk; climatevisuals.org
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Questions?
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