Leeds to lead on two themes at new UK Centre for Research on Energy Demand (UKCRED)

The University will receive £3.5 million from the new research centre that aims to develop and deliver internationally leading, inter-disciplinary research.

Funded with £19.5 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the centre will bring together a multi-disciplinary group of researchers led by the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Energy Demand Research Champion, Professor Nick Eyre at the University of Oxford. He will be supported by seven Co-Directors with a balance of skills, covering the key energy demand sectors – building, transport and industry, as well as a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds.

The proposed programme of research will have several themes that align well with the elements of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, especially ‘Improving Business and Industry Efficiency’, ‘Improving our Homes’ and ‘Accelerating the Shift to Low Carbon Transport’.

Professor Jillian Anable (Institute for Transport Studies) will be leading the theme of Transport and Mobility, developing state-of-the-art models for transport energy demand, in the areas of local fleets and plug-in vehicle charging strategies.

Meanwhile, Professor John Barrett (School of Earth and Environment) will be leading Materials and Products: "“We are delighted that Leeds is an major partner in the new ambitious centre.

"Our research will focus on how to reduce energy demand in UK industry and transport. This involves a five year co-created programme of research with industry and government helping the UK to meet challenging climate targets.”

Professor Philip Nelson, EPSRC’s Chief Executive, said “This new Centre for Research on Energy Demand will play an important role in developing policy and practical innovations that can help the UK address energy demand over the coming decades. The inter-disciplinary nature of the research means we can get a much clearer picture of what needs to be done, both technologically and socially, to bring about change in energy use and demand. The team led by Professor Eyre is high calibre and I am confident it will make a big difference to the long-term ambitions of the UK to meet its international obligations.”

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