About the Energy Programme

The Energy Programme's mission is to position the UK to meet its energy and environmental targets and policy goals through high quality research and postgraduate training.

Objectives:

• to support a full spectrum of energy research to help the UK meet the objectives and targets set out in the 2007 Energy White Paper
• to work in partnership to contribute to the research and postgraduate training needs of energy-related businesses and other key stakeholders
• to increase the international visibility and level of international collaboration within the UK energy research portfolio
• to expand UK research capacity in energy-related areas.

Working in partnership

The Energy Programme works closely with both public and private sector organisations. Major partnerships include:

• We are the largest public funder of the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) – a public-private partnership of up to £1 billion to accelerate the deployment of new energy technologies
• Working with the Living with Environmental Change Programme (LWEC) to ensure a whole systems response to climate change.

Current priorities

• taking a whole systems approach to energy options, supply and usage
• ensuring a rapid exploitation through collaboration with ETI
• growing our portfolio in demand reduction and transport
• focusing our postgraduate training through energy themes
• continuing to support research in sustainable power generation and supply and alternative sources.

Priorities for the future

Securing energy supply

• Fund world-class, speculative research to define future energy supply options, including nuclear fusion, hydrogen and renewables.

Low carbon innovation

• Work with Energy Technologies Institute, the Technology Strategy Board, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Carbon Trust through the Low Carbon Innovation Group to ensure deployment of alternative energy technologies is informed by physical, economic, social and natural sciences research.

Enhance understanding

• Enhance understanding of the social, environmental and economic implications of future energy options such as the sustainability of Carbon Capture and Storage.

Reduce energy consumption

• Help to reduce energy consumption and demand through the development of behavioural, governance, market and technological advances informed by a whole system understanding.

Generate new skills

• Build capacity of skilled people to deliver new energy futures through training and development of new researchers, policy makers and business leaders.

Build international partnerships

• Continue to build and sustain international links with key countries.