Energy Futures Lab welcomes Peter Childs as Co-Director

Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College London’s global energy institute, is delighted to welcome Professor Peter Childs FREng as Co-Director.

Professor Childs, previously Director of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Aero-Thermal Systems and Founding Head of the Dyson School of Design Engineering, succeeds Professor Tim Green as Co-Director, working alongside Professor Anna Korre. 

His interests in energy include wind turbines, photovoltaic thermal solar, extreme temperature measurement and operation, remote robotic inspection and maintenance, energy storage and energy-enabled industrial strategy. 

"It is a privilege to be part of the Energy Futures Lab team and initiatives.”  Professor Peter Childs Co-Director, Energy Futures Lab

Commenting on his appointment, Peter said: “This is a great time to be engaged in the energy sector and it is a privilege to be part of the Energy Futures Lab team and initiatives.” 

“The energy sector abounds with opportunities to fulfil our energy requirements responsibly with sustainable solutions. I am confident that by combining short-term technologies that can be leveraged now at scale with the outcomes of exciting research and development initiatives, the needs of our society can readily be met.” 

Professor Childs is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His technical expertise includes heat transfer, rotating flow, and robotics.

As well as his academic and research interests, Peter is currently Chairperson of Q-Bot Ltd, a company specialising in robotic technologies for sustainable building retrofit, maintenance and construction, and BladeBUG Ltd, a company developing repair and maintenance robots for offshore wind turbine applications. 

He has also undertaken research and development work for companies including Siemens, Rolls-Royce plc, ABB, Alstom and Johnson Matthey.