This page has information on the past and upcoming events of the Low Carbon Heating Research Network.
Next meeting: Heat extraction and Scottish Government consultation, 08.03.2017
Upcoming events:
Past events:
Events
Heat extraction and Scottish Government consultation
Classroom 7 in Hudson Beare Bldg in King’s Buildings – Wednesday 8th March 14:00-16:00 with a snack and coffee from 13:30
The third Low Carbon Heating Research Network meeting aims to explore
Mine water heat extraction and the Scottish Government consultation on District Heating
At this meeting we will hear from Hugh Barron (British Geological Survey), Linda May (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) and Simon Shackley (School of Geosciences) will talk about the mine water and surface water heat extraction project they submitted to NERC. This will focus on the particular opportunities in the central belt, especially greater Glasgow and Edinburgh, for heat extraction.
This is followed by a presentation from Dave Hawkey (School of Social and Political Science) about the Scottish Government consultation on Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategies, and Regulation of District Heating. Dave was seconded to Scottish Government to facilitate the Short Life Working Group whose work underpins the consultation. He is also in discussion with Scottish Government about running the required public consultation events during the week commencing 13 March, one of which will likely be in ECCI. He will give an update on the consultation and will facilitate the discussion about the knowledge & research needs coming out of the proposals and where we might be able to contribute? In particular, the consultation proposes setting up zones for different technologies which arguably need some multi-disciplinary system modelling underpinning it.
Agenda
1:30 Lunch
2:00 Mine and surface water heat extraction – Hugh Barron, Linda May and Simon Shackley
2:30 Scottish Government consultation – Dave Hawkey
3:00 Round table discussions
4:00 Close
We hope that you will be able to join us. If so, please reply to Daniel Friedrich (d.friedrich@ed.ac.uk)
Challenges and opportunities in low carbon heat
Room 1.20 in Dugald Stewart Bldg – Thursday 8th September 14:00-16:30 (Lunch at 13:00)
The second Low Carbon Heating Research Network meeting aims to explore
Challenges and opportunities in low carbon heat
The research network aims to combine the existing but separate research in low carbon heating across the university. The objectives are to build a research network in which the members combine their own specific expertise and ideas to identify opportunities and challenges for collaborative research. Furthermore, the University’s large diverse estate and range of heating systems has great potential to serve as a “living laboratory” for collaborative research projects. Ultimately, it is envisaged that the network will foster connections and stimulate collaborative research projects and will be a focal point for low carbon heating research in Edinburgh for the period of this project and beyond.
At this meeting we will hear an update from Andy Kerr, Executive Director of ECCI, about the Global Energy initiative of the University of Edinburgh which has the vision to integrate research, teaching and innovation on all forms of energy into a globally significant initiative. Low carbon heating is right at the heart of this and our network can form an important part in shaping the Global Energy initiative.
This is followed by a presentation from Zhibin Yu from the University of Glasgow. Zhibin’s research interests are in thermal energy technologies and he is the ETP Heat Energy theme coordinator. The Energy Technology Partnership (ETP) is the largest energy research partnership in Europe and promotes greater levels of collaboration between universities, industry, public sector and other partners to deliver unparalleled energy capability and core research strengths across a broad range of energy technologies. The Heat Energy theme is a recent addition to the ETP portfolio with the primary goal of establishing a broad R&D network focusing on heat energy across Scotland. As such, it will bring together the relevant expertise in this area, and provide a point of contact for the Scottish government when such expertise is needed. Zhibin is currently establishing a Working Group for the Heat Energy research theme, bringing together researchers working in heat energy related areas across the Scottish universities to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange. There is an opportunity for increased interaction with the Low Carbon Heating Research Network at the University of Edinburgh.
Following from these presentation we will hold round table discussions exploring opportunities for collaborations in low carbon heat and for increased engagement with the Global Energy initiative and the ETP. We will finish the meeting with a tour of the George Square Energy Centre which hosts a Jenbacher CHP gas engine and large thermal stores.
Agenda
1:00 Lunch
2:00 Update about Global Energy – Dr Andy Kerr, Executive Director of ECCI
2:30 Guest speaker – Dr Zhibin Yu, ETP Heat Energy theme coordinator
3:00 Round table discussions
4:00 Optional tour of the George Square Energy Centre
We hope that you will be able to join us. If so, please reply to Renaldi (r.renaldi@ed.ac.uk)
Assembly Room at ECCI – Wednesday 20th January 14:00-16:30 (Lunch at 13:00)
The main aim of the first meeting is for the interested researchers to meet and to find out about the low carbon heating and cooling research across the University. We will have very short overview presentation from each interested research group to start sharing our separate research efforts. This will form the basis for future more focused workshops with the aim of forming collaborations. Furthermore, the University’s large diverse estate and range of heating systems has great potential to serve as a “living laboratory” for collaborative research projects. Ultimately, it is envisaged that the network will foster connections and stimulate collaborative research projects and will be a focal point for low carbon heating research in Edinburgh for the period of this project and beyond.
Context
Heating is responsible for over 50% of the total energy demand in Scotland and currently most of this is provided through gas boilers. Until recently research and policy focus has been on the decarbonisation of electricity but this is shifting to include also the decarbonisation of heat. In order for Scotland and the UK to fulfil their greenhouse gas reduction targets, a transition to virtually zero-carbon heating is necessary. This challenge is multi-dimensional and includes building-level technological change and innovation, replacement and reconfiguration of energy networks, non-traditional business models and shifts in energy governance. Thus the deployment of low carbon heating is not only a technical problem but faces issues of uncertainty and social coordination, and requires a supportive political, legal and financial framework. Accordingly applied research in this area requires a multi-disciplinary collaborative effort.
Agenda
1:00 Lunch and ECCI Carbon Chat Room COP21 reflections
2:00 Introduction to the Low Carbon Heating Research Network
2:15 Guest speaker – Ragne Low, ClimateXChange Programme Manager
2:45 Very short presentations from the present research groups
3:30 Round table discussions
