Research Councils Energy Programme

Dr Peter Hedges, Power Sector Manager, EPSRC

The Ten Year Framework

The Government 10-Year Science and Innovation Investment Framework aims to increase the overall levels of investment in research and development to 2.5% of GDP by 2014. Its objectives are to:

● Make the UK world-class in all areas of science, engineering and technology

● Translate the new knowledge generated more effectively into innovation

● Improve the prosperity and quality of life of the UK

● Make the UK the location of choice for R&D and high value-added business.

Research Councils are required to achieve two main outputs – a healthy science and engineering base and better exploitation.

Funding Context

● The Office of Science & Technology (OST) has challenged the Research Councils to increase expenditure on energy research from £40M in 2005-06 to £70M by 2007-8.

● The Research Councils (EPSRC, NERC, ESRC, BBSRC) will commit at least £70M of funding for energy R&D in the period 2005/06 to 2007/08.

● EPSRC will be coordinating the delivery of the Research Councils’ Energy Programme on behalf of Research Councils UK.

● The Research Councils will continue to work in partnership with other funding organisations (e.g. Carbon Trust, DTI, and Industry) and are keen to expand our collaborative activities.

Some History…

● The OST awarded additional funding (£28M) under the 2002 spending review to establish the “Towards a Sustainable Energy Economy” (TSEC) programme.

● TSEC had four priority areas – carbon management, renewable energy, nuclear energy and managing uncertainties. Funding was delivered both through calls under the TSEC programme and allocation of funding through existing activities (e.g. SUPERGEN).

● Approximately half of the SR2002 funding was allocated to establish the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC).

● TSEC supplemented existing investment activities such as SUPERGEN.

Energy Programme Objectives● To support a full spectrum of energy research to help the UK

meet the objectives and targets set out in the 2003 Energy White Paper.

● To work in partnership with others to contribute to the research and postgraduate training needs of energy-related business and other key stakeholders.

● To increase the international visibility and level of international collaboration within the UK energy research portfolio.

● To expand the UK university research capacity in energy-related areas.

Planned Actions

● Sustainable Nuclear Power?

● Nuclear decommissioning/waste disposal

● Fusion – ITER/IFMIF and JET upgrade

● Wider investment in whole systems energy research (maintaining the TSEC “brand”

● SUPERGEN renewal, expansion and consolidation

● Basic science for energy (e.g. Materials)

● Energy and Equity

● Strategic Partnerships with Stakeholders