‘The LCEDN: The First 18 Months’

Ed Brown, LCEDN National Co-CoordinatorAssociate Director, Sustainability Research School,

Loughborough University

Private Sector Roles in Low Carbon Energy Solutions to the Climate ChallengeWellcome Trust, Euston Road, London, 24th and 25th June 2013

Image courtesy of Practical Action

Conference Organization: Jem Woods, Tara Vernhes and colleagues at

Imperial College Jon Cloke, Edd Bauer Colleagues on the LCEDN management

committee. Those speaking, chairing sessions and acting

as discussants.

Financial/In-Kind Support: DECC EPSRC UKCDS/Wellcome Trust Midlands Energy Graduate School

Recognition (RCUK, DECC, DFID) of low carbon transitions and energy access issues as a critical arena for developing UK research capacity. This is a result of 2 main drivers.

First, the rapid explosion of global interest in low carbon energy and energy access issues across the Global South (new markets, products, funding) + growth of UK Government programmes in this area.

Second, acknowledgement that, whilst the UK has world-leading research capacity in both energy + international development research, UK energy research expertise is yet to engage substantially with questions of international development + energy themes remain quite marginal within the international development research community.

The 2010 review of the RCUK Energy Programme highlighted this issue as a significant weakness of UK research – specifically that ‘energy technologies and development’ was an area of weak performance and high interest.

Alongside this, a group of us had already independently recognized the need to establish a stronger trans-disciplinary research community interested in strengthening collaboration in these issues amongst UK academics.

UKERC Meeting Place Event in May 2010 designed to bring technologically-focused researchers together with those with more social science-oriented research interests.

Also focused on encouraging dialogue with government departments, private sector and civil society actors active in the sector

In May and July 2011, meetings held to bring together UK academic and policy communities working in this field.

Gave rise to the idea of the formation of a National UK Network to support the expanded UK government interest in this area bring together the UK ‘energy’ and ‘development’ academic

communities and strengthen the relationship between UK academia and the

international research community working on these issues (particularly in the Global South)

Initial funding provided by Durham Energy Institute and the Midlands Energy Consortium to kick-start the process.

Bid formulated to DECC – approved in late 2011 – £100,000 funded two part-time Research Associates and two international events (rose to three through additional EPSRC support)

LCEDN launched January 2012 Currently applying for funding for next phase of activity

The LCEDN is managed by the Midlands Energy Consortium (Loughborough, Birmingham and Nottingham Universities) and Durham Energy Institute in partnership with the Energy Futures Lab of Imperial College, the Science and Technology Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex and the UK Energy Research Centre.

Through our Management Committee and other routes we liaise closely with DFiD, DECC, UKCDS, the UK Private Sector (via the Energy KTN) and the UK NGO sector (through Practical Action on behalf of BOND)

Image courtesy of Practical Action

To act as a hub to bring together researchers, policy makers and practitioners from across the UK to work together to: Better understand the complex and dynamic energy needs of

the communities of the Global South Map existing research capacity in the UK and identify where UK

expertise is best deployed Promote international research collaborations and partnerships Highlight research areas in need of development and lobby for

increased research funding To actively promote innovative new forms of knowledge, develop

new methodologies to enhance transdisciplinary working and to enhance research excellence in this field.

To build a strong trans-disciplinary research community around low carbon energy and international development issues in the UK.

To more fully connect the UK academic community into the global and regional networks working on these issues.

To act as a repository and conduit for knowledge about these issues in the UK and make it more accessible (within and beyond academia)

1. Establishing a searchable directory of UK research expertise (over 170 individuals now listed, new interface imminent)

1. Developing the LCEDN website as an innovative web space for the development of this research community (twitter, website re-launch imminent – Community blogs, broader social media presence)

3. ‘State of the field’ reviews of the existing evidence base and current energy/development research in the UK including suggestions of strengths, weaknesses and gaps.How best to present this – Data Visualization (questionnaires and discussion during this event)

4. ‘Rapid evidence reviews’ of specific technologies, particular regions or emerging themes where there is a current policy and research need.Four completed and are being posted on the website – discussing format for next phase (Practical Answers)

3. Stimulation of new postgraduate/training programmes in this area and fomenting of active doctoral student community.

4. ‘lobbying for research funding’ – we have been liaising with colleagues in DECC, DFiD and EPSRC over how to promote joined-up research funding in this area. How UK research funding relates to other international funding etc.

7. Running workshops, conferences and seminar series to drive the network’s development and facilitate real interaction with researchers and other actors from the Global South

1. Why the focus on the private sector?

2. What are the potential advantages and difficulties involved in developing greater connections between the business and research communities?

1. Beyond the formal presentation sessions….

You are not just here to listen (or just to talk!)! This event has been purposely structured to

provide as much interaction, conversation and dialogue as possible in two days. The knowledge, insight, wisdom gathered in this room is substantial and highly eclectic and our aim is to have you exploring ideas, interests and collaborations as we go forward.

Two formal participation/discussion sessions This evening’s Poster Presentations session The Ideas Wall Electronic Participation via the Twitter Fountain Video snippets via Bambuser (hopefully)

Annual Conference and Smaller targeted meetings

Further work on research landscape and data visualization

Development of much more interactive web presence and social media activity

Specific programme with the PG research community (alumni etc.)

Linking the recent RCUK/DFID/DECC projects New approach towards Rapid Response Reviews Enhanced information repository role