Energy Policy and Thought Leadership
2 February 2011
DEI advise Government on Smart Grids
The report produced by Durham Energy Institute outlining the conclusions and recommendations of a meeting with leading industrialists, academics and the Department of Energy and Climate Change has been published this week.
The meeting, entitled Smart Grids: the Broken Value Chain took place in November 2010 and was attended by Ofgem and many leading UK power companies. It proved a very successful meeting, which aimed to tackle barriers to taking UK energy policy forward. The report produced following the meeting has been received by Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, who has commented that he read the note of the meeting with interest, particularly the need for leadership, the importance of customer engagement and the need for commercial incentives.
The report is available via the link below.
- DEI-DECC Smart Grids Workshop Report (last modified: 1 February 2011)
18 November 2010
Durham Energy Institute submits response to Ofgem's Project TransmiT call for evidence
Professor Janusz Bialek and Professor Phil Taylor have submitted comments in response to Ofgem's Project TransmiT call for evidence.
Project TransmiT is Ofgem's independent review of transmission charging and associated connection arrangements. The project aims to determine whether all or part of the transmission charging regime should be modified and to identify what changes can be made to facilitate the timely connection of new generation.
Views have been sought from stakeholders, an independent advisory panel and experienced academic commentators.
More information about Project TransmiT.
- Project TransmiT Evidence on behalf of DEI (last modified: 19 November 2010)
1 June 2010
Edward L Flippen
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is developing a policy unit within which Durham Energy Institute would place energy experts. The first of these is Edward Flippen, Partner, Energy and Utilities Group of McGuireWoods LLP from 1999 to date.
Previously, he has been Partner, Energy and Environment Practice Group, Troutman Sanders LLP (1981-99); Assistant General Counsel, Duke Power Company (1980-81) and Deputy General Counsel of the Virginia State Corporation Commission (1975-80).
Mr Flippen has lectured on trade regulation at the Graduate School of Business at the College of William and Mary, on economic regulation at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, on economic regulation and applied business and law at the College of William and Mary School of Law, on economic regulation and antitrust at the Duke University School of Law, and on economic regulation and corporate finance at the University of Richmond School of Law. He has been a guest lecturer in Australia, Germany, France, Scotland, Sweden, Canada, and in the UK, including at the London School of Economics, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford. He is currently a lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law. In the fall, he will lecture on energy and environmental policy at the College of William and Mary, where he received his MBA and JD.
In addition to lecturing, Mr Flippen has authored numerous articles on economic regulation. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who in American Law, an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University College London Faculty of Laws, and Virginia Super Lawyer.
On 5 July 2010, DEI was pleased to host Mr Flippen as a guest seminar speaker. His presentation was entitled U.S. Energy Policy and an Update on the Obama Administration's Proposed Carbon Legislation.
25 May 2010
Public Lecture and Green Issues and Climate Change Exhibition
Speaker: Lord Puttnam of Queensgate CBE
Title: Hung Parliament, Hung Environment? What the new government needs to do to address climate change.
Further information on the event, together with a full transcript of the lecture is available at the IAS website.
Durham Energy Institute hosted a stall at the exhibition on Green issues and Climate Change which took place in the Café at the Calman Learning Centre immediately prior to the lecture. Other exhibitors included internal stands (Energy, waste, travel, Fairtrade) and the Sustainable Living Action Group and external stands including Livingstreets, Durham County Council Travel and Waste, Energy Saving Trust, Groundwork North East and John Wade (skip hire contractor).
24 May 2010
Underground Coal Gasification
The UK is heading towards an energy crisis both in terms of security and supply. Oil and gas production dwindles while coal and nuclear power stations are reaching the ends of their working lives. Commitments on emissions of CO2 compound the problem. However, a solution exists; underground coal gasification could bring new life into a largely forgotten and ignored industry as well as allowing access to a bountiful and indigenous energy source - coal. The known coal resource in the UK could power the country for centuries and UCG could allow it to be done safely and cleanly. A return for King Coal is long overdue!
Follow link for article published in Ingenia, Issue 23, June 2010, authored by Paul Younger (Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability), Jon Gluyas (Durham Energy Institute), Martin Cox (Aberdeen Drilling Management) and Dermott Roddy (Sir Joseph Swan Institute for Energy Research).
- Ingenia 43, Underground Coal Gasification, June 2010 (last modified: 24 May 2010)
8 January 2010
DEI Response to PRASEG Inquiry - Renewables and the Grid: Access and Management
Durham Energy Institute was invited to submit a response to the PRASEG Inquiry on Renewables and the Grid. Professors Bialek and Taylor submitted comments on behalf of DEI on transmission, distribution and variability.
PRASEG published a Report of the findings of the inquiry in March 2010.
- DEI Response to PRASEG Enquiry - Renewables and the Grid (last modified: 3 June 2010)
19 November 2009
Response to Ofgem's Project Discovery
DEI submits response to Ofgem's Project Discovery consultation on whether or not the future security of supply can be delivered by the existing market arrangements over the coming decade.
More information on Project Discovery can be found on the Ofgem website.
- DEI Response to Project Discovery (last modified: 3 June 2010)
9 November 2009
Strategies for the update of Electric Vehicles
Electric Vehicles Report for Government Committee on Climate Change submitted, to which Professor Phil Taylor (Durham) contributed. Take-home message is that assuming that 30% of the distribution transformers in the UK electrical distribution system would need to be replaced, the associated costs of accommodating 15.9 million electric cars would be in the region of £2.6bn-£3.9bn.