Dr Niall Kerr
Job Title
Research Fellow - 'Integrate' and 'Going Dutch' projects
Room number
B.6Building (Address)
Chisholm HouseStreet (Address)
High School YardsCity (Address)
EdinburghCountry (Address)
UKPost code (Address)
EH1 1LZResearch interests
Research interests
Climate change and energy policy, Built environment, Policy effectiveness
I currently work as a Research Fellow on the INTEGRATE (Integrating seasonal thermal storage with multiple energy sources to decarbonise thermal energy) project. From 2017-2020, I was the Research Fellow on the 'Energy Policy Effectiveness' project, part of the ClimateXChange research agency, carrying out systematic evidence reviews on questions relevant to Scottish energy policy, working closely with the Heat and Energy Efficiency Unit in the Scottish Government. I was seconded full-time and then part-time to the Scottish Government, October 2018 - April 2020. I have carried out evidence reviews on the effectiveness of different policy instruments at encouraging private investment in home energy retrofit for owner occupied, and privately rented properties, on heat decarbonisation policies in Europe and on phase-out policies in the wider energy sector (see Reports)
My previous research has considered some of the social and political aspects of efforts to energy efficiently retrofit existing buildings. I have considered the different political rationales for energy efficiency policy in different countries, the different narratives of home energy renovators and the overall public and private investment cases for energy efficiency (see publications). See Publications
Other research has related to modelling the economics of low carbon transitions and the development of lowest-cost pathways for lowering carbon emissions in city regions. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities work involved projects in various UK cities and the development of a new method for the first Climate Smart Cities project in Kolkata, India. I have also considered the ex-post evaluation of energy savings from an energy efficient retrofit scheme in Kirklees, England, and the trial of a revolving fund model for financing retrofit schemes (see Publications).
I am a purposefully interdisciplinary researcher, generally interested in the political, social and economic aspects of transition to a more sustainable society.
Background
I am an interdisciplinary energy researcher with a background in social and political science, and economics. I currently work as a Research Fellow on the INTEGRATE project - assessing policy, market and regulatory design for seasonal thermal energy storage systems - and the UKERC project Going Dutch? - assessing current governance approaches to heat decarbonisation in the Netherlands, the UK and Scotland. From 2017-2020, I was Research Fellow on the 'Energy Policy Effectiveness' project at the University of Edinburgh and the ClimateXChange research agency, carrying out systematic evidence reviews on questions relevant to Scottish energy policy.
Undergraduate Teaching
I have carried out guest lectures and seminars on the Energy Policy and Sustainbility course, which is run by Dr Mark Winskel and Dr Kirsten Jenkins
Postgraduate Teaching
I guest lectire on the Energy Policy and Politics course, which is run by Dr Ronan Bolton and Dr Mark Winskel.
Publications
Peer-reviewed publications
Kerr, N. Winskel, M. (2022) Have we been here before? Reviewing evidence of energy technology phase-out to inform home heating transitions. Energy Research and Social Science, 89
Kerr, N. (2021) Why rationale matters in energy and climate policy. In Webb J, Wade F, Tingey M, editors, Research Handbook on Energy and Society. Edward Elgar. 2021. p. 112-125. (Elgar Handbooks in Energy, the Environment and Climate Change).
Kerr, N. and Winskel, M. (2020) Household investment in home energy retrofit: A review of the evidence on effective public policy design for privately owned homes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 123
Kerr, N; Gillard, R; Middlemiss, L. (2019) Politics, problematisation, and policy: A comparative analysis of energy poverty in England, Ireland and France. Energy and Buildings, 194, 191-200.
Kerr, N; Gouldson, A; Barrett, J. (2018) Holistic narratives of the renovation experience: Using Q-methodology to improve understanding of domestic energy retrofits in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science, 42, 90-99
Kerr, N. Gouldson, A. Barrett, J. (2017) ‘The rationale for energy efficiency policy: Assessing the recognition of the multiple benefits of energy efficiency retrofit policy’. Energy Policy, 106, 212-221
Gouldson, A; Kerr, N; Millward-Hopkins, J; Freeman, M; Topi, C; Sullivan, R. (2015) Innovative Financing Models for Low Carbon Transitions: Exploring the case for revolving funds for domestic energy efficiency programmes. Energy Policy, 86, pp. 739-748
Webber, P; Gouldson, A; Kerr, N. (2015) The impacts of household retrofit and domestic energy efficiency schemes: A large scale ex-post evaluation. Energy Policy, 84, pp. 35-43
Gouldson A; Colenbrander S; Sudmant A; McAnulla F; Kerr N; Sakai P; Hall S; Papargyropoulou E; Kuylenstierna J.2015. Exploring the economic case for climate action in cities. Global Environmental Change, 35, 93-105
Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Topi, C., Dawkins, E., Kuylenstierna, J., Sullivan, R. and Webber, P. (2014) 'The Economics and Financing of Low Carbon Cities' in Dixon, T. and Eames, M. (eds). Urban Retrofitting for Sustainability: Mapping the Transition for 2050, Routledge
Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Topi, C. Dawkins, E., Kuylenstierna, J., and Pearce, R. (2012) 'The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: Approaches to a City Scale Mini-Stern Review' in Simpson, R. and Zimmerman, M. (eds) The Economy of Green Cities: A World Compendium on the Green Urban Economy, Springer.
Reports
Kerr, N and Tingey, M. (2022). Heat networks delivery plan - draft: consultation analysis for the Scottish Government.
Parker, K; Winskel, M; Kerr, N. (2021) Industrial Strategy in Scotland: A review of cluster-based initiatives. ClimateXChange
Kerr, N; Winskel, M. (2021) Energy technology phase-out: Using international analogues to inform ‘net zero’ heat decarbonisation policy. ClimateXChange
Kerr, N; Mejia Montero, Adolfo; Grant, R. (2021) Policy briefing: Sunamp heat batteries and fuel poverty economics.
Kerr, N; Mejia Montero, Adolfo; Grant, R. (2021) Sunamp heat batteries and fuel poverty economics
Kerr, N; Winskel, M. (2021) A review of heat decarbonisation policies in Europe. ClimateXChange
Kerr, N; Winskel, M. (2018) Private rental sector and home energy retrofit investment – scoping report. ClimateXChange
Kerr, N; Winskel, M. (2018) Private household investment in home energy retrofit: reviewing the evidence and designing effective public policy. ClimateXChange
Millward-Hopkins JT, Gouldson A, Kerr N. (2016) The Co-Evolution of Financial Instruments and Institutions and Low Carbon Transitions.
Gouldson, A; Colenbrander, S; McAnulla, F; Sudmant, A; Kerr, N; Sakai, P; Hall, S; Papargyropoulou, E; Kuylenstierna, J. (2015) The Economic Case for Low Carbon Cities: New Climate Economy contributing paper
Andy Gouldson, Niall Kerr, Faye McAnulla, Stephen Hall, Sarah Colenbrander and Andrew Sudmant. 2014. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities Kolkata, India. Climate Smart Cities.
Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Topi, C. Dawkins, E., Kuylenstierna, J. and Pearce, R (2013) 'The Economics of Low Carbon Cities for Birmingham and the Wider Urban Area, published by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures.
Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Topi, C., Dawkins, E., Kuylenstierna, J. and Pearce, R. (2012) 'The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: A Mini-Stern Review for the Leeds City Region', published by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures.
Gouldson, A., Harwatt, H., Kerr, N. and Ellis, L. (2011) Towards a Low Carbon economy? Pathways Towards Low Carbon Business. Policy Brief prepared for the UK Dept.s of Energy and Climate Change, Business, Innovation and Skills, and Environment Food and Rural Affairs, published by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures.
Works within
Publications by user content
Publication | Research Explorer link |
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Brown C, Kolo I, Lyden A, Franken L, Kerr N, Marshall Cross D et al. Assessing the technical potential for underground thermal energy storage in the UK. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2024 Jul;199:114545. Epub 2024 May 14. |
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Bolton R, Cameron L, Kerr N, Winskel M, Desguers T. Seasonal thermal energy storage as a complementary technology: Case study insights from Denmark and The Netherlands. Journal of Energy Storage. 2023 Dec;73(Part D):1-15. 109249. Epub 2023 Oct 16. doi: 10.1016/j.est.2023.109249 |
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Kerr N, Winskel M. Have we been here before? Reviewing evidence of energy technology phase-out to inform home heating transitions. Energy Research and Social Science. 2022 Jul;89:102640. Epub 2022 Jun 6. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2022.102640 |
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Parker K, Winskel M, Kerr N. The role and impact of innovation agencies: An international review. The University of Edinburgh, 2022. 37 p. doi: 10.7488/era/2128 |
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Kerr N. Why rationale matters in energy and climate policy. In Webb J, Wade F, Tingey M, editors, Research Handbook on Energy and Society. Edward Elgar Publishing. 2021. p. 112-125. (Elgar Handbooks in Energy, the Environment and Climate Change). Epub 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.4337/9781839100710.00018 |
View |
Parker K, Winskel M, Kerr N. Industrial strategy in Scotland: A review of cluster-based initiatives. The University of Edinburgh, 2021. 50 p. doi: 10.7488/era/1366 |
View |
Kerr N, Winskel M. Household investment in home energy retrofit: A review of the evidence on effective public policy design for privately owned homes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2020 Feb 27;123:109778. Epub 2020 Feb 27. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.109778 |
View |
Kerr N, Gillard R, Middlemass L. Politics, problematisation, and policy: A comparative analysis of energy poverty in England, Ireland and France. Energy and buildings. 2019 Jul 1;194:191-200. Epub 2019 Apr 4. doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.04.002 |
View |
Kerr N, Gouldson A, Barrett J. Holistic narratives of the renovation experience: Using Q-methodology to improve understanding of domestic energy retrofits in the United Kingdom. Energy Research & Social Science. 2018 Aug;42:90-99. Epub 2018 Mar 20. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2018.02.018 |
View |
Kerr N, Winskel M. Private household investment in home energy retrofit: reviewing the evidence and designing effective public policy. ClimateXChange, 2018. |
View |
Kerr N, Gouldson A, Barrett J. The rationale for energy efficiency policy: Assessing the recognition of the multiple benefits of energy efficiency retrofit policy. Energy Policy. 2017 Mar 30;106:212-221. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.03.053 |
View |
Gouldson A, Kerr N, Millward-Hopkins J, Freeman M, Topi C, Sullivan R. Innovative Finance Models for Low Carbon Transitions: Exploring the case for revolving funds for domestic energy efficiency programmes. Energy Policy. 2015 Nov;86:739-748. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2015.08.012 |
View |
Webber P, Gouldson A, Kerr N. The impacts of household retrofit and domestic energy efficiency schemes: A large scale, ex post evaluation. Energy Policy. 2015 Sept;84:35-43. Epub 2015 May 14. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2015.04.020 |
View |
Gouldson A, Roy J, Kerr N, Sarkar S, Hall S, Ghatak A et al. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: Kolkata, India. The Centre for Low Carbon Futures, 2014. 80 p. |
View |
Gouldson A, Kerr N, Topi C, Dawkins E. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: A Mini-Stern Review for Birmingham and the Wider Urban Area. The Centre for Low Carbon Futures, 2013. 56 p. |
View |
Gouldson A, Kerr N, Topi C, Dawkins E. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: A Mini-Stern Review for the Leeds City Region. The Centre for Low Carbon Futures, 2012. |
View |