Energy experts at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) were among the speakers at the 12th Oxford Energy Day attended by industry representatives, students, researchers and anyone interested in the energy transition.
The event was organised by the University of Oxford’s multidisciplinary Oxford Energy Network on the theme of Equity for the Energy Transition.
Dr Nick Banks and Dr Tina Fawcett
Dr Tina Fawcett, Senior Researcher and Acting Leader of the Energy Group at the ECI and Dr Nick Banks, Senior Researcher in Local Energy Systems, were among the 16 speakers in the 15 sessions offered throughout the day.
Dr Fawcett gave an overview of the projects currently being undertaken by the ECI’s Energy Group including the social research in the Energy Demand Observatory and Laboratory (EDOL) programme, the CircEUlar programme looking at circular economy and net-zero pathways and the Clean Heat Streets project.
Dr Banks gave more details about the Clean Heat Streets project, including the challenges they faced in setting it up and the vital collaboration of the local residents who’ve installed heat pumps. He was joined by one such resident taking part in the project, Eleanor Watts. She is also the Director of Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon community group.
Dr Fawcett said:
It was inspiring to hear about impactful research and action on energy and equity, locally and globally, from colleagues across the university and from our partners in government, academia, communities and business.”
Dr Banks added:
It is high time that the technologies that we hope will propel us to a Net Zero future were made accessible to all sectors of society where they can not only drive down carbon emissions but also deliver multiple social and economic benefits to those most in need. This meeting was a great opportunity to get the latest on what the Oxford research and practitioner community is doing on this critical topic.”
The Oxford Energy Network brings together researchers across the University of Oxford who are working to address the major technical, social, economic and policy challenges of providing secure, affordable and sustainable energy for all. The Network engages with industrial partners policy specialists, non-governmental and third-sector organisation.
