The RCUK Energy Programme aims to position the UK to meet its energy and environmental targets and policy goals through world-class research and training. The Energy Programme is investing more than £530 million in research and skills to pioneer a low carbon future. This builds on an investment of £360 million over the past 5 years.
Led by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Energy Programme brings together the work of EPSRC and that of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
The University of Aberdeen plays an important role in research and knowledge exchange in energy. Situated in the energy capital of Europe, it has close links with energy industries and plays a central role in the network of partnerships that characterises research collaboration such as the Northern Research Partnership, the Energy Technology Partnership and its wider national and international collaborators, the Scottish European Green Energy Centre and National Subsea Research Institute, which is a partnership with industry. In addition we have the Institute of Energy Technologies, the recently formed research centre in Energy Economics and Finance and a Centre for Transport Research that is a co-investigator in UKERC.
The University has a strong focus on environmental science, much of which is centred on environmental impact of the energy industries, climate change, bioenergy, carbon turnover in soils, green house gas implications of land-based wind power through the Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability and our collaboration with the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and Oceanlab.
Much of the energy-related research activity at Aberdeen, particularly in oil and gas, is funded through industry. The University is a founder member of the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), established to promote the development of renewable energy. Our RD&D has led to a number of significant spinout companies servicing the energy and low carbon industries.
Professor Russell Howe, leader for the CoPS Energy theme, said: "Energy is an area where the University is has yet to realise its full potential in terms of RCUK, EU and other international funding, notwithstanding recent successes in achieving significant local support from government and commercial sectors. The Research Theme approach is intended to build a body of internationally recognised expertise which will underpin existing areas of strength in Aberdeen"
Further information
Professor Russell Howe
Email: r.howe@abdn.ac.uk
Tel: 01224 272944
Energy portal
www.abdn.ac.uk/energy/research
RCUK Energy
www.rcukenergy.org.uk