Category: Energy

Energy, Mitigation

The future of the electricity utility – decision time for US stakeholders

Last month, Grantham Affiliates Dr Jeffrey Hardy and Dr Chris Mazur travelled to Chicago to run a ‘Decision Theatre’ workshop with participants from the US energy supply chain as part of the Utility 2050 project. Here, they consider the findings of the workshop, the differences across the pond, and the potential for collaboration. The Utility 2050 project, originally conceived by the Energy Research Partnership, offers … Continue reading The future of the electricity utility – decision time for US stakeholders

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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?

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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?

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Energy, Policy, Student blogs

Don’t score an own goal on energy policy: Fatih Birol presents the World Energy Outlook at Imperial

The International Energy Agency’s most important report is a warning that words are not enough, and now is the time for every country to play their best game, according to Jonathan Bosch, an Imperial PhD student on the Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet Doctoral Training Partnership. The Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, made the first UK public presentation of … Continue reading Don’t score an own goal on energy policy: Fatih Birol presents the World Energy Outlook at Imperial

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business, Energy, finance, Innovation, Policy

The similarities between our energy outlook and BP’s will surprise you

New analysis foreshadows a dwindling demand for fossil fuels, but what will the oil companies make of the future? Grantham Institute Director of Policy and Translation, Alyssa Gilbert, looked into her crystal ball to find out. Continue reading The similarities between our energy outlook and BP’s will surprise you

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Solar farm at sunrise
Energy, Innovation, Mitigation

Five ways to reinvent energy

On 25 November the Grantham Institute’s Moritz Köhme and Dr Jeff Hardy attended the Reinventing Energy Summit hosted by New Scientist and RE•WORK. Jeff is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute and was one of the presenters at the event, speaking about ‘Sustainable energy transformations: Where are we at and where are we going?’. In this blog, Jeff and Moritz share five interesting messages … Continue reading Five ways to reinvent energy

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Emissions, Energy, Student blogs

How can we generate a hundred per cent renewable electricity?

Charlie Cook, a student on the first cohort of Imperial’s new MSc in Climate Change, Management and Finance, checks on the roadmap leading to a world with electricity generated from a hundred per cent renewable sources. If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there; Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat points out to Alice. The Paris Agreement has set our sights on a … Continue reading How can we generate a hundred per cent renewable electricity?

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Hydroelectric dam
Energy, Mitigation, Policy

Why the world needs a more inclusive global energy agency

Neil Hirst, Senior Policy Fellow at the Grantham Institute, argues that China and other developing countries need their voices heard as members of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The G20 Summit in Hangzhou earlier this week provided a unique opportunity for China to assert its place in the world. So it’s hugely significant that Chinese president Xi Jinping, in his opening announcement, focused on the … Continue reading Why the world needs a more inclusive global energy agency

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Energy, Policy

Balance of power: How Brexit would affect the UK energy sector  

In under a week, UK voters will decide the fate of the country in a referendum over Britain’s continuing membership of the European Union (EU). Grantham Research Associate Dr Sheridan Few explores some potential implications of exiting the EU for the UK energy sector. Issues such as the economy and immigration are key battle grounds for EU referendum campaigners, but UK voters’ final decision will … Continue reading Balance of power: How Brexit would affect the UK energy sector  

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Energy, Innovation, Mitigation, Student blogs

Why clean tech innovation and selfish action go hand in hand

SSCP DTP student Oliver Schmidt argues that technological innovation is key to empowering individuals to act on climate change. Some people argue that we already have all the technologies we need to ‘solve’ climate change, but the technological innovation driven by new funding initiatives still has a vital role to play. And what use is new technology without the ultimate motive for personal action – … Continue reading Why clean tech innovation and selfish action go hand in hand

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