Author: Grantham Institute

Climate change and environment institute at Imperial College London, one of the world's leading research universities.
Solar heat water heater and chimney
Energy, Mitigation

Could solar-thermal be the solution for low-carbon heating?

Well-established solar heat technologies could be playing a key role in creating a sustainable future energy system and meeting an increasing global demand for energy, according to our latest briefing paper. “Solar-thermal and hybrid photovoltaic-thermal systems for renewable heating” looks at the continuing potential of this technology and what stands in the way. Dr Alexander Mellor, Research Associate in the Department of Physics and co-author of … Continue reading Could solar-thermal be the solution for low-carbon heating?

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment
Flames of gas stove
Mitigation

5 ways to green the gas grid

The Sustainable Gas Institute, an international research hub based at Imperial College London, recently launched a new white paper entitled ‘A Greener Gas Grid: What Are The Options?’. The paper examines the gas grid and explores the ‘low-carbon’ alternatives for these extensive networks. Erin Johnson, a research postgraduate in the Department of Chemical Engineering and an expert in ‘green gas’, discusses the paper’s findings and … Continue reading 5 ways to green the gas grid

Grantham Institute1 Comment
Skyscrapers in Shanghai, China, with solar panels in the foreground
Mitigation, Policy

Why we need global leadership on pressing energy challenges, and why China has such an important role to play

Neil Hirst is a Senior Policy Fellow for Energy and Mitigation at the Grantham Institute. Over the next few months, he will be working with Professor Yufeng Yang, from the Energy Research Institute (ERI) of  National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China, who recently joined the institute funded by a Grantham Research Fellowship. Here, Neil explains two of the topics they will be working on: reforming energy governance, … Continue reading Why we need global leadership on pressing energy challenges, and why China has such an important role to play

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment
Energy, Mitigation

Energy Utopia: What stands in the way of smart, clean, affordable, customer-led energy?

Last year, Dr Jeffrey Hardy took a career break from his role as Head of Sustainable Energy Futures at Ofgem and joined the Grantham Institute as a Senior Research Fellow. He has been imagining a future where your relationship with your energy company is different to the present, and why new business models must put customers in the driving seat of the low-carbon transformation. Here he … Continue reading Energy Utopia: What stands in the way of smart, clean, affordable, customer-led energy?

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment
finance, Individual action on climate

Four ways to future-proof your finances

Following our Investment opportunities in a low-carbon economy event earlier this year, we invited Ian Simm, Founder and Chief Executive of Impax Asset Management Group and guest speaker at Imperial College London Business School, to answer your questions about taking responsibility for your investments to help create a sustainable future. Your personal finances may seem remote from the problems facing the planet, particularly the state … Continue reading Four ways to future-proof your finances

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment
The boat in Greenland
Earth systems, Research

Into the Ring of Fire: Arctic adventures to predict the impact of climate change

  Dr Michelle Jackson, Research Associate and Ecologist at Imperial College London, is working on ‘Ring of Fire’, a four-year, NERC-funded research project that investigates the impact of rising temperatures on freshwater ecosystems. Here, she discusses the challenges of fieldwork in the Arctic and the results that make it all worthwhile. Our planet is warming at an unprecedented rate. Year on year, temperature records around … Continue reading Into the Ring of Fire: Arctic adventures to predict the impact of climate change

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment
business, Communicating climate change

Why should we take science to the City?

Following last month’s inaugural Science in the City event, Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute, reflects on why it is important to take academia beyond the walls of the universities. Last month, I went to ING Bank’s London offices with Dr Tamaryn Napp, Research Mitigation Associate at the Grantham Institute. Dr Napp, pictured above, was giving a lecture to a … Continue reading Why should we take science to the City?

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment
Graphic showing desired links between disciplines
Research, Student blogs

Researchers need to reach out to other disciplines to face up to the challenges of climate change

Healthy People, Healthy Planet is a challenge team formed by students from the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet (SSCP) Doctoral Training Partnership.  Team members, Hiral Shah, Rebecca Thomas, Jonathan Bosch, Branwen Snelling and Rowan Schley, discuss why climate change and global health go hand in hand.  “Tackling climate change could be the biggest global health opportunity of the twenty first century.” This message, … Continue reading Researchers need to reach out to other disciplines to face up to the challenges of climate change

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment
British Prime Minister Theresa May
Policy

The state of UK politics couldn’t be more chaotic for the environment

Grantham Institute Director of Policy and Translation, Alyssa Gilbert, sums up the situation in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for climate change and environmental policy, at the current time between the 2017 General Election results and the start of Brexit negotiations with the European Union. This blog is brought to you by A, B, C, D and E. Five letters that … Continue reading The state of UK politics couldn’t be more chaotic for the environment

Grantham Institute1 Comment
Communicating climate change, Emissions, Student blogs

Earth’s love-hate relationship with carbon dioxide

At last month’s international Pint of Science Festival, the Grantham Institute co-sponsored three events themed around Planet Earth. SSCP DTP student Rachel Bertram, who organised several of the talks, summarises some of the discussions about carbon dioxide, the most well-known greenhouse gas. Over a few nights each May, Pint of Science brings scientists out of their universities and research environments to the local pub where they … Continue reading Earth’s love-hate relationship with carbon dioxide

Grantham InstituteLeave a comment