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Durham Energy Institute
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Enhancing our research partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

28 October 2024
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On 7th October 2024, DEI hosted twenty colleagues from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in Durham to explore how we can integrate our research with UK energy policy development.

Mr Daniel Galloway explained the purpose of the Darlington Economic Campus is to bring together several government departments so that decision makers and policy advisors can collaborate and work closer to the communities they serve.

Professor Simone Abram introduced DEI colleagues to outline the extensive range of energy-related research led by DEI, including colleagues in the departments of Anthropology, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Geography and Law.

Our world-leading research areas

Our research expertise focuses on sustainable, ethical, and appropriate solutions for a clean and just energy transition. We integrate diverse disciplines and sectors to provide new perspectives on energy challenges.

At this meeting we discussed research on the following research themes:

    • Clean and just transitions
    • National Geothermal Centre
    • Sustainable power generation and storage
    • Decarbonizing transport
    • Decarbonizing heating and cooling
    • Energy policy, law, and regulation
    • Resource politics
    • Energy materials and waste
    • Energy infrastructure and systems

University Research tour

The visitors toured the DU Smart Grids and Wind Tunnel laboratories in the Department of Engineering. This was an opportunity to demonstrate the practically of our research work and have more interactive discussions on the relevance for society.

The group also saw the Solar Car ‘DUSC2023’ which has recently crossed Australia coast-to-coast using only solar power and has successfully conquered the legendary Goodwood Hill Climb.

Networking

DEI Director, Professor Simone Abram said “Opening up a dialogue with the brightest and best civil servants is hugely important to our goal of ensuring that research is put to use effectively. We are genuinely excited that the new Darlington Campus is enabling us to establish a working relationship with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero and other energy-related departments at the heart of government.” 

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