The sustainable evolution of future energy systems

 

Viability of PPA agreements in low carbon electricity markets: a UK case study

Ana Teresa Moreno Ruiz García

As the UK transitions to subsidy-free renewable energy projects, generators are left exposed to fluctuations in wholesale electricity. To counteract this, developers have turned to a successful price-hedging tool: Power Purchase Agreements (PPA). Some contractual conditions within the PPAs can result in extra costs that are not accounted for in standard Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) calculations. This project evaluates the effects of having PPAs with different conditions on the LCOE of solar PV and onshore wind projects in the UK. The analysis could be used to negotiate a fair price for both parties considering what the expected profit would be when using PPAs.

Supervisor:

• Dr Salvador Acha, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London

 

The Role of Collective Intelligence in the Development of Possible Net Zero Transformations

Anna Hardisty 

Collective intelligence is the enhanced capacity that can emerge when individuals work together – specifically, when and how this emergent intelligence may become more than the sum of its contributing parts. This project looked to understand how collective intelligence thinking may be used to facilitate the strategic, efficient and sustainable development of the greenhouse gas removal sector in the UK.

Supervisor:

• Dr Mark Workman, Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College London

 

The role of participatory futures in reaching Net Zero

Ariella Shalev 

To meet the UK’s net zero target, the majority of changes needed to reduce carbon emissions require behavioural and societal change. However, societal engagement and public participation in decision-making are underrepresented in current political practices. This research explores the mechanisms by which inclusive processes of thinking about the future can be integrated into climate policy design and shift social norms. By involving citizens, deliberative and participatory processes can remedy dynamics between the public and the decision makers, provide societal buy in for rapid actions, and create space for making difficult political decisions towards net zero.

Supervisors:

• Dr Mark Workman, Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College London

 

Factoring digital innovations for energy demand sectors into climate change mitigation

Daniel Leon Krause 

Digital innovations have the potential to disrupt energy demand sectors and to support decarbonisation. Nevertheless, they are ignored by modelled mitigation analysis due to uncertain and complex interactions with technical, economic and behavioural systems. This research examines the mitigation potential of five critical digital innovations in two steps. Firstly, a quantitative wedge analysis performs a best-case estimate of the emission reduction potentials in the EU until 2050. Secondly, a qualitative discussion identifies key drivers and obstacles of rapid innovation diffusion. The results seek to inform policy on creating more synergetic digitalisation and decarbonisation objectives.

Supervisors:

• Neil Grant, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London
• Dr Ajay Gambhir, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London
• Dr Adam Hawkes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London

 

Systematic review of the research on fuel poverty and disability in the UK private rented sector

 

Giulia Franceschini

Achieving Net Zero by 2050 requires decarbonisation of the housing sector, which accounts for 14% of UK emissions. This urgency provides an opportunity to address the socio-economic needs of vulnerable households (disabled renters) and eliminate energy injustices (fuel poverty). My project examines the evidence on the experience of fuel poverty for disabled people in the private rented sector, with an emphasis on the need for energy justice, to build a meaningful picture of the issues faced by this vulnerable group. The main conclusion is that a one-size-fits-all approach to fuel poverty identification and mitigation fails to recognise and adapt to the needs of vulnerable households.

Supervisors:

• Dr Jeffrey Hardy, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London
• Dr Madeleine Morris, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London

 

Escalating Indonesia Climate Mitigation Commitment: pathways to deep decarbonize the energy system

Hapsari Damayanti 

With abundant amounts of untapped renewable energy sources, Indonesia has a huge potential to transition to a low carbon energy system and scale up its climate mitigation commitment to achieve the Paris Agreement target. This thesis explores alternative scenarios to deeply decarbonize Indonesia’s energy system and compares them with the current Indonesia climate mitigation target (based on Indonesia first Nationally Determined Contribution) from an environmental and economic point of view.

Supervisor:

• Dr. Rocio Diaz-Chavez, Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London

 

Governance of Smart Local Energy Systems: A framework for success

Josephine Conway

Energy governance in the UK requires major reform to reduce energy demand, accelerate change and adapt to a decarbonised, decentralised energy system. Smarter, more localised energy systems will need flexible management integrating social, technical and economic elements. However, there is uncertainty on how public, private sector and citizen interactions will play out on a local scale. This study uses analysis of literature, pilot projects and expert interviews, to identify the key requirements for effective smart local energy system governance and recommends a set of governance indicators for success in energy system implementation.

Supervisors:

• Dr Jeffrey Hardy, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London
• Dr Madeleine Morris, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London

 

The future of wholesale energy markets with a high share of renewables

Paul Frapart

The increasing share of low-marginal-cost renewables has a negative impact on the wholesale electricity prices, causing it to reduce on average and increase in volatility. The aim of my research project built in partnership with the offshore wind department of GE Renewable Energy is to understand the impact that the increase in renewables has had on the UK wholesale electricity price, and to make forecasts about its evolution in the coming years if no fundamental change in the market happens. Using historical data, the historical merit order effect of renewables has been analysed, and a statistical model has been built for electricity price forecasting purposes.

Supervisors:

• Dr Salvador Acha, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London
• Ruslan Galimov, GE Renewable Energy

 

Greenhouse Gas Removal: Market Development: from emergence to critical mass - UK and US perspectives

Victoria Harvey

To achieve net zero by 2050 it is estimated that implementation of Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) technologies to the scale of 100-1000 GtCO2 removed by the end of the century must be deployed, making GGR one of the largest infrastructure sectors. Yet, the sector remains in a nascent stage with technologies reaching maturity but a lack of strategy for execution. This research evaluates existing GGR policy regimes in the UK and US, leaders in the sector, and assesses opportunities for international collaboration, national specialisation and where these converge. Within this framework of a collaborative GGR market technologies will have unified regulatory support to realise long-term removal.

Supervisors:

• Dr Mark Workman, Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College London