Carbon Dioxide Removal technology portfolios to achieve the UK Net Zero target

Bastien Denisart

In the context of deep uncertainty surrounding Net Zero policymaking and the potential strong Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies uptake in the coming decades, this project aims at shifting the approach in decision making under deep uncertainty. Based on exploratory modelling (exploring a large range of possible futures), Robust Decision Making strives to identify a policy that would perform relatively well "whatever happens", as opposed to a strategy optimised for a given future. Using a representation of the UK energy system, this project comes up with a robust strategy to reach the CDR and Net Zero targets set by the government and challenges the current accepted pathways.

Supervisors:

• Dr Mark Workman, Energy Futures Lab
• Dr Geoff Darch, Water Resources Strategy Manager, Anglian Water

 

Gender Inequalities and Energy Policymaking

Elsa Deville

The aim of this project is to explore the structural barriers to gender-just energy policymaking in Europe, using both a literature review and interviews with energy policymakers.

Supervisor:

• Karen Makuch, Centre for Environmental Policy

 

Visualising Climate Hazard Areas to Electricity System Components

Katerina Foka Sandoval

Electricity systems carry 20% of the world's final energy and are essential to humanity. Their performance is however severely compromised by extreme weather as seen in 2021 during the Texas winter storm. Adaptation is essential to allow electricity systems to play their part in decarbonisation despite increasing climate threats, but prioritising resilience efforts is challenging due to the characteristics of grid components and the specificities of local geography. To aid the visualisation of climate risks to electricity grid components, this project aimed to build a web tool displaying hazard maps based on climate projection data, starting with the UK as a study case.

Supervisors:

• Dr Malte Jansen, Centre of Environmental Policy
• Dr Fei Teng, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

 

Investigating Energy (In)Justice in Heat Networks

Sally Matson

Decarbonising heat in the UK is critical for many reasons: achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, combatting skyrocketing fuel prices, reducing reliance on Russian gas exports, and more. However, the low-carbon energy transition can have negative impacts as well, which often go under-discussed in government and academia. This study uses an energy justice framework to assess the procedural, distributive, and recognition justice (or injustice) present in two low-carbon heat network projects on council-owned estates in London. Using stakeholder interviews and document analysis, the ultimate goal is to provide insight on ensuring a just energy transition in future heat network projects.

Supervisors:

• Karen Makuch, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Centre for Environmental Policy
• Dr Miriam Aczel, California Institute for Energy & Environment (CIEE) at University of California, Berkeley

 

The Role of Exploratory Modelling Approaches in UK Net-Zero Policy Design: a Case Study in GGR

Maria Quirina Rodriguez Mendez

The limited remaining global carbon budget, coupled with delayed mitigation action, has elevated Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) technologies to the forefront of climate policy design. Removing carbon from the atmosphere at the scales envisaged could, however, be hindered by the plethora of techno-economic, sustainability, and social, political and ethical uncertainties inherent to GGR value chains. This project sought, through stakeholder consultation and engagement with the modelling and policy community, to inform decision-makers and GGR specialists on how Robust Decision-Making approaches might bridge the gap between the demanded urgency of GGR deployment and its inherent deep uncertainty.

Supervisors:

• Dr Mark H W Workman, Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment
• Dr Geoff Darch, Water Resources Strategy Manager, Anglian Water

 

GIS-Based modelling to identify suitable locations for solar farm construction

Zihan Yin

This project is working with Public Power Solutions, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swindon Borough Council, to deliver local net-zero energy systems in the aspect of enhancing PPS business performance. A GIS-based approach (using QGIS) to map potential locations for solar farm projects within specific areas is developed in this project. Such automated models are expected to help PPS save lots of time in refining their process to locate the ideal area for solar farms. The model will highlight possible sites in the map, sort them by attractiveness and finally provide a list of ideal locations.

Supervisors:

• Dr Jeffrey Hardy, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The Grantham Institute for Climate Change
• Dr Koen H. van Dam, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering