Dr Jake Barnes, a researcher at the Environmental Change Institute, has been awarded a prestigious Social Science Engagement Fellowship to support collaborative research on energy systems transformation, working in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and the National Energy System Operator (NESO).
The fellowship, supported by the University of Oxford’s Social Sciences Division and funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), will see Jake embedded within Oxfordshire County Council’s Energy Systems team from January to June 2026. The project will focus on how national strategy, regional planning and local delivery can be better aligned to accelerate the decarbonisation of heat.
The research is closely linked to the rollout of Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) across Great Britain — a major shift in how energy infrastructure planning is coordinated between national, regional and local actors. Through the fellowship, the project will examine how local authorities, regional RESP teams and NESO interact within emerging governance frameworks, how local knowledge and capabilities are mobilised, and how engagement across levels of governance can be strengthened in practice.
Working closely with Oxfordshire County Council’s Energy Systems Lead, Sarah Kerr, the fellowship will connect academic research with the realities of local delivery, drawing on Oxfordshire’s experience of regional energy planning and place-based decarbonisation. The work aims to generate practical insights to inform decision-making by NESO and local authorities, helping ensure that energy infrastructure plans deliver tangible benefits for local communities.
Responding to the award, Jake said:
Regional Energy Strategic Plans represent a step-change in how Britain plans and delivers its energy transition, bringing national ambition together with local action. This fellowship comes at a critical moment and will enable us to put our research to work in ways that support practical decision-making and long-term impact.”
The fellowship forms part of a wider set of Social Science Engagement Fellowships recently announced by the University of Oxford’s Social Sciences Division, which collectively support new partnerships beyond academia and strengthen the role of research in addressing real-world challenges.
For the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), the award reflects its ongoing commitment to policy-engaged research that supports fair, effective and locally grounded responses to climate and energy transitions.
Read the announcement from the University of Oxford Social Sciences Division.