SPS academics involved in renewed funding for the UK Energy Research Centre to analyse and advance the energy transition
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School of Social and Political Science (SPS) academics Dr Mark Winskel, Dr Jess Britton and Professor Jan Webb will lead research into innovative solutions to energy challenges, in a new phase of funding for the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC).
This research is possible after UKERC - an independent centre made up of 15 UK research organisations - received £11 million from 2024 to 2029 to continue its research into sustainable future energy systems.
The funding is from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). SPS researchers have received around £700,000.
Dr Winskel, Senior Lecturer in Science, Technology and Innovation Studies at SPS, is a UKERC Deputy Director. He will lead on UKERC interdisciplinary research integration and academic engagement, and contribute to the Centre’s Responsive Research theme.
Dr Britton, Research Fellow in Sociology, will lead a research theme on equity, affordability and economic impacts of GB energy decarbonisation. This includes new research on financing area-based approaches to net zero and a social evaluation of neighbourhood retrofit programmes, working with communities in the West Midlands, and elsewhere, to provide insights into what works, for whom, when, and how.
Professor Webb, Professor of Sociology of Organisations, will lead a project on place-based approaches to accelerating delivery of net zero energy systems.
The University of Edinburgh was a founding partner of UKERC in 2004 and, building on 20 years of success, this new investment marks a significant step forward in advancing the UK’s energy transition.
Professor John Devaney, Head of School at SPS, said: “We are delighted to continue our involvement in the UKERC consortium. SPS researchers will lead a range of social science research over the next phase of UKERC, ensuring robust insights and evidence are available to support delivery of net zero energy systems.”