High Seas Project: Assessing the technical and operational scope for rapid carbon emission reduction from global shipping

[10]

Building on the IPCC’s 2007 report, the 2009 Copenhagen scientific conference on climate change made clear both the urgency and radical scale of reductions in greenhouse gases necessary if global society is to avoid the 2°C characterisation of dangerous climate change. The scale and immediacy of the mitigation challenge outlined in Copenhagen leaves no option but for all major sectors to implement measures to stabilise their emissions in the short-term before beginning a steep decline in absolute emissions within the coming decade.

Reinforcing this view, the first report from the UK Government’s Committee on Climate Change [11] in 2008 emphasised the need for global emissions to peak as early as 2016, similar to the 2015 date suggested in the influential Stern report. Against this backdrop, the challenge for shipping, as a fundamental factor in delivering globalisation, is stark.

This proposal tackles the challenge head on: how can global society’s dependence on a rapidly growing shipping industry be reconciled with the scale and rate of mitigation outlined in Copenhagen and more quantitatively described from a UK perspective by the Committee on Climate Change’s carbon budget approach and related pathways? Thus the aim of the project is to apply an interdisciplinary, whole-systems perspective to develop robust methods for determining the emissions arising from UK shipping and to explore potential technological and operational step-changes in international shipping to accelerate progress towards avoiding ‘dangerous climate change’.

Duration: April 2010 to September 2013

Funder: EPSRC [12]

Life cycle assessment of ammonia production from biomass gasification compared to natural gas

Use life cycle assessment (LCA) tools to determine the environmental benefits and feasibility of producing ammonia fertiliser from biomass gasification, compared to using natural gas. Ammonia is used for the production of nitrogen based fertilisers and whilst the fertiliser improves crop yield, the production process is energy intensive and produces 0.93 % of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The biomass system analysed includes energy crop cultivation under typical UK agronomic practice, gasification in a fast internally circulating fluidised bed gasifier to produce syngas, steam reforming to convert the syngas into a H2 rich feedstock and combination with N2 separated from air, to produce ammonia using the Haber-Bosch process. The GWP is quantified using LCA software, along with other notable impacts on biodiversity.

Results are also presented for the net energy balance of the system, which is a significant consideration in determining the most appropriate use of biomass amongst the sometimes competing pathways of heat, electricity or transport fuel production. 

Duration: - April 2011

Funder: SuperGen Bioenergy (EPSRC) [14]

Nuclear Energy as a way of providing low carbon, secure heating services for the UK

New nuclear power plants are being discussed as part of the solution to climate change and energy security problems in the UK. The large, light water reactors being considered for construction can only convert ~35% of the thermal energy generated into electricity, with nearly two thirds lost as waste heat.

This is within the context of a heat supply and demand system that currently accounts for around three quarters of non-transport energy consumption in the UK almost entirely through fossil fuel combustion. This project explores the potential scenarios for heat utilisation at Hartlepool and Oldbury reactor sites. Particular focus is given to non-technical barriers through case study analysis and applying innovation and transition theoretical approaches.

Duration: Oct 2008-Oct 2011

Funder: EPSRC [12]/ESRC [16]

SPRING - Sustainability Assessment of Nuclear Power: An Integrated Approach

The overall aim of the project is to develop an integrated decision-support framework for assessing the sustainability of nuclear power relative to other energy options, considering both energy supply and demand.  Taking a life cycle approach, the project aims to develop a methodology and multi-criteria decision-support framework for an integrated assessment of the sustainability of nuclear power. The framework brings together technical, environmental, economic, social and governance perspectives to assess the sustainability of nuclear power relative to other energy options within a process of stakeholder engagement.  The Tyndall Manchester team is contributing a set of energy scenarios to 2070 describing varying levels of nuclear power within different energy system profiles for the UK.

Spring is a Consortium project, led by the University of Manchester (School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science) [18]in collaboration with City University, London [19] and the University of Southampton.

http://www.springsustainability.org/ [20]

Duration: February 2008 to January 2011

Funder: EPSRC [12] and ESRC [16]

Supergen Biomass and Bioenergy Consortium: theme 6 systems analysis

The Supergen Biomass and Bioenergy consortium [14] aims to provide a recognized focus for UK biomass and bioenergy activities that unites key stakeholders and academia through leading edge research into renewable energy. The consortium studies production of different types of biomass, investigating their behaviour in thermal conversion processes designed to service demands across the heat, electricity, transport fuel and industrial demand sectors.

Tyndall Manchester leads the theme on systems analysis, which evaluates the performance, cost and socio-economic benefits of a wide range of bioenergy chains.  These range from use of domestic energy crops for home heating through to imported biomass for large scale electricity supply and consideration of advanced biorefinery concepts.

For each system greenhouse gas balances, environmental life cycle impacts, techno-economic analyses and social assessments are carried out, which inform an overall assessment of sustainability and policy development options. 

Duration: 2007 -2011

Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [12]

Thermal management of industrial processes: task 7: environmental and socio-economic issues

This project uses whole systems analysis techniques to investigate new technologies to exploit the large amount of unused low grade heat available from UK process industries.  

The wider project involves mapping of potentially available heat and consumers, development of technologies such as industrial condensing boilers, evaluation of district heating potential and detailed process modelling. Tyndall Manchester leads the task on environmental and socio-economic issues, which aims to quantify the greenhouse gas and other benefits of different process efficiency options and analyze barriers to their implementation.   This involves stakeholder engagement and workshops, focus groups with heat users and detailed life cycle assessment of different process efficiency options. 

Duration: 2009 -2011

Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [12]

Identifying emission gaps within lifecycle analysis of shipping

Shipping is recognised as the most efficient form of freight transport. For that reason the prominence of shipping emissions may have been overlooked in comparison with other modes of transport. While recent efforts have been focused on assessing emissions at the global level, shipping is also pivotal for bottom up or activity based analyses, particularly in relation to lifecycle and product chain analyses. This project seeks to address potential deficiencies in how shipping is dealt with in such analyses. The impact of differing ship type, size, speed and utilization will determine the emissions allocated to the movement of shipped goods. This will be complemented by emission estimates for subsequent stages in the product chain such as cargo handling and onward transport. Identifying the most important determinants of emissions associated with products carried on ships will assist in future lifecycle and product based analyses and comparisons.  

Funder: The Sustainable Consumption Institute (University of Manchester)

Duration: Completion August 2011  

Tidal energy in the UK – a stakeholder assessment of barriers and opportunities

This project assessed the opportunities and barriers for the UK tidal energy sector from the perspective of a wide range of stakeholders. In addition, it considered competing views on which organisations have the responsibility and ability to facilitate development. Approximately 20 individuals from a range of organisations were interviewed including: trade associations, academic research projects, testing facilities, regional and national government, utilities, funding bodies, regulators, and technology developers. The project identified key areas of consensus and disagreement within the industry around a number of topics, including: the degree of progress, availability and structure of finance, assessing environmental impact, international competition, competition within UK nations and testing facilities. 

Funder:  Tyndall Centre (EPSRC, NERC and ESRC)

Duration: completed in May 2010

Emissions reduction in the UK personal transport sector: A critical evaluation of behaviour and technology measures (2008-2011)

Personal mobility is widely regarded as a good thing for society and individuals, allowing economic and social mobility, but the private car is responsible for one in every eight tonnes of CO₂ emitted in the UK today and emissions from personal transport are on an upward trend.

Dan's research asks how can the UK play its fair part in avoiding ‘dangerous climate change’ if private car travel continues to grow? What changes in travel behaviour are implied if the UK is to play its fair part (assuming the best possible improvements in vehicle and fuel technology with the regulation in place to ensure its development and uptake), and how could such changes be encouraged?

Duration: 3.5 years

Funder: University of Manchester Alumni Fund

Smart metering: perceptions, practices and processes (May 2010 - May 2012)

ADDRESS (Active Distribution network with full integration of Demand and distributed energy RESourceS), funded through the 7th Framework Programme, aims to deliver a comprehensive commercial and technical framework for the development of ‘Active Demand’ (AD) in the smart grids of the future. The project is investigating how to effectively develop the participation of domestic consumers in power system markets through the development of interactive energy distribution networks. Tyndall Manchester’s involvement is in the field-testing phase, specifically focusing on the user acceptance with Active Demand principles and technology through interaction with an electricity ‘demand aggregator’ and smart metering equipment in their homes. An Energy Box will be installed that will interface between the consumer and the demand aggregator to optimise and control loads at the consumer’s premises. 

Funder: European Community’s Seventh Framework Program.

Duration: May 2010 – May 2012

Value propositions for Energy efficient Renovation Decisions (VERD)

Understanding Home Renovation Decisions

1: Background to Our Research

Energy efficient renovations can lower energy bills, improve comfort by reducing drafts, and even increase a home’s value. So why do homeowners prefer to spend their money on a new kitchen, redecorating, or a DIY project? There are many good reasons. Some homeowners may just not be aware of the potential for efficiency improvements. Others may be put off by the costs or the hassle. Efficiency is also largely invisible. Upgrading a boiler doesn’t earn admiring approval from friends. Renovating for energy efficiency might improve domestic comfort and suggest thrift, but does it also evoke style or entertainment? Ultimately, homes say a lot  about their occupants. People are different; so too are their homes.

2: The Aims of Our Research

We want to understand the decisions homeowners make to renovate their homes. We’re interested in energy efficiency, but in all other kinds of renovation too. Here are some of the questions we’re trying to answer: Why do some homeowners renovate annually and others never do? What triggers their decisions? How do renovations relate to the routines and identities of a household? We hope our research will help government design policies to encourage energy saving, and businesses offer better services to homeowners.

3: How We’re Doing Our Research

Only homeowners know why they renovate. We’re going to talk to all sorts of homeowners – those planning renovations, those who have completed renovations, and those who have no interest at all in renovating. We’ll arrange to visit people at home to carry out in‐depth interviews. We’ll ask a large number of homeowners to complete a survey on their attitudes and actions on renovating. We’re also planning a type of experiment in which homeowners will tell us which of a series of hypothetical renovation stories they prefer.

4: Who We Are

We are a team of researchers at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, Norfolk. Our project on ‘understanding home renovation decisions’ runs from October 2011 to September 2013, and is funded by the UK Energy Research Centre. For further information about the project, please do get in touch by e‐mail or phone.

George Chryssochoidis
Overall project management, choice experiment and survey design
E-mail: g.chryssochoidis@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 592694

Charlie Wilson
Energy efficiency markets and policies, and survey design
E-mail: charlie.wilson@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591386

Lucy Crane
Renovation decision making, and homeowner interviews
E-mail: l.crane@uea.ac.uk
Tel: 01603 591408

Documents for Download

• Project details for Stakeholders [31]

Biofuel Technology and Controversy (Sep 2007 - Dec 2010)

Critical realist philosophy is deployed to develop a dialectical conceptualisation of technology and controversy, including a close-range semiotic examination of the relationship between technological objects and their understandings.

This conceptualisation is mobilised in an empirical exploration of biofuel technology and the biofuel controversy in the UK.  The insufficient public vocabulary for the wide range of objects collectively referred to as 'biofuel' is found to provide a partial explanation for the emergence of the controversy.

Duration: September 2007 - December 2010

Funder: Supergen Biomass and Bioenergy Consortia [14]

Sustainability Omni Labelling – A mean to support more Sustainable Consumption? (Sep 2008 - Aug 2012)

The main aim of this PhD project is to investigate the prospects for the implementation of a sustainability ‘omni label’ to support ‘more’ sustainable consumption.

During the first part of the study case studies of existing product information schemes (EU ecolabel, EU energy label, MSC label and Fair Trade label) are used to explore how product information schemes try to shape the production and consumption system and identify processes, factors and especially actors that influence their effective institutionalisation.

In a second step the prospects for a successful institutionalisation of a sustainability ‘omni label’ and its potential affective powers on the production and consumption system are studied through qualitative interviews with actors identified as being essential for an institutionalisation in the first part of the study. 

Supervisors: Dr. Paul Dewick and Prof. Kevin Anderson [35]

Duration: September 2008 -  August 2012

Funder: PhD project funded by the Sustainable Consumption Institute [36]

Analysis of biomass and CCS as a co-evolving geo-engineering power generation option (ended Sep 2010)

This scoping study was initiated during the Tyndall transition phase in order to identify key research questions on Biomass Energy with CCS (BECCS [38]) and to position the Tyndall team to establish a presence within BECCS research.

A workshop, organised jointly between the Tyndall Centre and the Scottish Centre for Carbon Storage, was held in Edinburgh to bring together key members of both the academic and stakeholder community with experience in this area.

Informed by the discussions during this workshop and an extensive literature review (including relevant social science literature) a Tyndall Working Paper will identify key options, individuals and perspectives of the potential role for CCS in the UK.

Duration: Tyndall transition phase, extended to September 2010

Funder: Tyndall transition

NEARCO2: public perceptions of carbon capture and storage (CCS) (2009-2011)

Although it may be possible to transition to a wholly renewable European power system by 2050, the prospects of achieving this for both heat and power, while also increasingly electrifying transport, are doubtful. This begs the question of how to deal with major on-going carbon emissions from the energy sector. CCS being the key option in this regard, NEARCO2 [39] is a European project focusing on public perceptions of CCS in the UK, Belgium, Holland, Spain and Germany. 

Public awareness of CCS in Europe has been low but is increasing – this process is likely to continue as Europe rolls out its CCS demonstration programme and as climate targets increase in urgency. As awareness grows, CCS is increasingly subject to critical attention at a variety of levels – from the policy level (e.g. what role CCS should play in future European energy systems) – to the siting level (particularly local public acceptance of new pipelines and storage sites). 

NEARCO2 [39] has reviewed public participation regulations relating to CCS in the five countries concerned and has identified opinion-shaping factors across a number of live CCS and analogous cases. A conceptual model of CCS-related communications and recommendations on participation strategies are to be developed. Focus groups with the public have been held in the five countries, using a DVD developed for the project, which explains the climate change rationale for CCS, provides an overview of the technology, and gives arguments for and against its use. This DVD is multi-lingual and will be publicly available as the project progresses. A large scale internet-based survey of local public opinion relating to potential CCS sites is currently under development.

http://www.communicationnearco2.eu/home/  [39]

Funding: EPSRC

Duration: 2009-11

UKSHEC Plus: public attitudes to city-level energy options (2007-2012)

Until relatively recently, public attitudes to micro-generation has been neglected as a research topic. Yet micro-generation features in UKERC 2050 energy system modeling and its deployment, in conjunction with energy efficient design, will be essential for the achievement of lower carbon buildings.

This project is using both citizens’ panels and a large scale questionnaire survey to examine public attitudes to micro-gen and related demand reduction in the city of Manchester. 

Both strands of work are integrated with the European project PEPESEC [41], which is trialing a Swedish approach to community energy planning across Europe. The citizens’ panels combine the GRIP energy scenarios process, which has a proven ability to take stakeholders through a learning process relating to energy supply and emissions, with a mental models approach to decision-making. The results will provide information on attitudes, understanding and conceptions. Further work using the same methods will allow comparison with different stakeholder types and nationalities.

The large scale, online questionnaire survey will be offered to individuals in the Greater Manchester region who have made a personal pledge to reducing their carbon emissions. The survey will investigate the conditionality of environmental attitudes and values, specifically in relation to micro-generation and demand reduction options. 

http://www.uk-shec.org.uk/uk-shec/research/uk-shec-2/theme4.html  [42]

Duration: 2007-12

Funding: EPSRC [12]

E3MG (2006-2009, 2008-2011)

Tyndall’s cutting-edge and integrated-modelling synthesises a range of ‘specialised’ models on climate science, emissions and impacts to provide a “global integrated analysis of climate change and its consequences”.

The integrated models we develop are the Community Integrated Assessment System (CIAS) and an Energy-Environment-Economy (E3) Model at the Global level (E3MG [45]), which is linked with other models into CIAS. The specific objectives are:

• to work with the GENIE [46] consortium to ensure that CIAS has access to state-of-the-art intermediate complexity representations of the Earth System, and with the Hadley Centre [47] to include their FAMOUS model in the CIAS's climate model portfolio;

• to include new modules representing global-scale and distributed impacts of climate change on natural and social systems along with other programmes and external collaborators, and to ensure feedbacks from these impacts with the climate system and with the global economy are represented dynamically in CIAS;

• to use CIAS and E3MG [45] to undertake a multi-criteria analysis of the implications of alternative stabilisation scenarios as an alternative to conventional monetised cost-benefit analysis and as a way of providing a wider and better treatment of the uncertainties;

• to explore using CIAS and E3MG [45], the opportunities for sustainable development presented by the switch to low-carbon technologies.

Models and methods for informing UK climate change mitigation policy (2010-2013)

The overall project aim is to understand what are the most appropriate tools and methods to support/ inform the UK transition to a low carbon economy, to identify gaps in UK climate change mitigation modelling and to make recommendations for modelling improvements. Understanding the methodological and data assumptions behind both UK and international models, who is using which models and for what, appreciating why certain models are used in certain contexts and the application of models to explore the resulting outcomes for policy relevant questions provide the focus of this research. 

PhD project, February 2010 to February 2013, funded by the Sustainable Consumption Institute, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester and the Stockholm Environment Institute, Department of Biology, University of York.  

Contact: Kate Scott, kate.scott@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk [49]

Duration: 2010-2013

Funder: The Sustainable Consumption Institutue [36]

Russia’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Cumulative Emission Budgets (Oct 2009 - Sep 2013)

In Annex-1 nations [51], despite Kyoto commitments, the levels of emissions continue to be well in excess of those required to avoid ‘dangerous climate change’. Compounding this is the rapidly growing emission levels of non-Annex-1 nations.

Russia’s emissions are an interesting case in this regard. Despite being an Annex-1 nation, its emissions have fallen rapidly since 1990 due to economic collapse and started growing again in the late 1990s. The project seeks to address Russia’s own greenhouse gas emission targets and budgets within the context of a redeveloping economy and the overarching global climate change objectives.

The modelled pathways and cumulative ranges will take into account the efficiency of targets, fairness of the efforts’ distribution, and various uncertainties (e.g., socioeconomic development paths, energy technology growth, and energy prices). Results of the proposed research can be applied to shaping medium-term to long-term post-Kyoto climate change policies in Russia.

Duration: Oct 2009 – Sept 2013

Funder: Sustainable Consumption Institute (University of Manchester) [36]

Climate change mitigation and adaptation in the UK food system (Feb 2010 - Jan 2012)

This project builds upon tried and tested methods for exploring future energy supply and demand to develop scenarios incorporating climate change adaptation for a series of key food-based products. These products will be chosen to explore three major issues of importance: 

• Their importance within the UK diet

• Their very high emissions burden either currently or likely in the future

• Their vulnerability to climate change impacts.

Through collaboration with the Stockholm Environment Institute, physical and social science expertise in mitigation and emission accounting from the Tyndall Centre and adaptation-related expertise from the Supergen Consortium and the Satake Centre for Grain Process Engineering involving Manchester University’s schools of SEAES [53], MACE [54] and CEAS [18], this project will bring together a range of disciplines to ensure the results are not only quantitatively robust but also qualitatively consistent.  The aim of the project is to develop a series of scenarios relevant to the retail sector articulating pathways to alternative futures from both an adaptation and mitigation perspective.

Duration: Feb 2010 to Jan 2012

Funder: Sustainable Consumption Institute [36]

Exploring the role of ‘high-emitting’ groups in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon society

Policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change have been ‘universal’; aimed either at society as a whole (for example carbon tax, carbon trading), or at specific sectors (e.g. forthcoming EU legislation on gCO2/km for cars).

In this regard, policies and mechanisms for reducing emissions have paid little attention as to whether actual emissions are skewed significantly towards particular groups within society and, if they are, whether ‘tailoring’ polices may provide for a more effective, efficient and equitable delivery of a low carbon society. Provisional evidence within the UK suggests greenhouse gas emissions are highly correlated with particular social groups based on, for example: occupation, residential location, income/wealth, educational background, etc. Similarly skewed distributions are likely to exist in all societies and the general Pareto principle would imply that ~20% of society could be responsible for ~80% of its emissions. However the shape and differentials of such distributions will vary in accordance with the behavioural, political and socio-economic framing of nations. 

This proposal will undertake a detailed analysis and comparison of emission profiles within China, the UK, and Sweden. It will use comparisons between these countries to provide guidance on developing low-carbon technologies and policies specifically tailored to the high-emission groups within each case-study nation or region. It will identify the conditions that ensure technological and behavioural measures successfully reduce emissions in high-emitting groups, and integrate high-emitting groups in Tyndall’s Community Integrated Assessment System (CIAS) [55].

Project leaders: Prof Kevin Anderson (Manchester) [35] and TBC (Fudan)

Community Innovation in Sustainable Energy (Oct 2010 - Sept 2013)

Recent years have seen a surge in interest and activity in small-scale, sustainable energy projects led by local communities. Examples include solar water heating clubs and insulation clubs, which provide mutual support for system installation; energy awareness and behaviour networks, which provide guidance and reassurance to neighbours on energy matters relevant to them; and co-operatively-owned small-scale renewable energy systems, such as micro-hydro and wind energy.

This research project studies the diffusion of community energy projects in the UK. It explores the extent of networking between projects, and whether this is assisting in the innovation of community energy. We also assess the performance of projects and provide independent advice to policy-makers and energy businesses about the merits and processes for supporting community energy.

We draw upon the findings of our research to develop with practitioners a number of Foresight scenarios for community energy in the UK.

Contacts: Dr Adrian Smith, SPRU, University of Sussex; a.g.smith@sussex.ac.uk [56]; 01273 9877065.

Dr Gill Seyfang, CSERGE [57], University of East Anglia; g.seyfang@uea.ac.uk [58]; 01603 592956

Duration: October 2010 until September 2013

www.grassrootsinnovations.org [59]

Funder: EPSRC [12]-ECLEER [60]

The Politics of Low Carbon Innovation: Towards a Theory of Niche Protection (Oct 2010 - Sept 2013)

Recent studies emphasise sustainable innovation processes developing within protective niches. Experimentation in these spaces accumulates experience and improvements, which carries technologies from demonstration and into commercial use. This collaborative project with the Eindhoven Technical University analyses the politics of providing ‘protective space’ for three low carbon innovations in the UK and Netherlands: photovoltaic cells, offshore wind, and carbon capture and storage.

We study the strategies followed by advocates of these technologies for attracting public support, and how this political competition affects the innovation process. We analyse the arguments advanced by advocates of each technology, the audiences to whom these arguments are made, and how they are re-presented to different interests.

The networks of actors contributing to the development of protective space will be explored; and how their activities generate different forms of protection, e.g. economic subsidies, public investments, institutional support, valued knowledge, political backing, attaining positive symbolic significance. We will study these protections influence the development of our case study low carbon niches.

Relevant outputs:

Smith, A., Voβ, J.P. and J. Grin (2010) Innovation studies and sustainability transitions: the allure of the multi-level perspective, and its challenges Research Policy 39: 435-448. [62]

Smith, A. And F. Kern (2009) The transitions storyline in Dutch environmental policy Environmental Politics, 18, 1: 78-98. [63]

Raven, R.P.J.M., Van den Bosch, S. and R. Weterings (2010) Transitions and strategic niche management: towards a competence kit for practitioners International Journal of Technology Management 51, 1: 57-74. [64]

T: 01273 9877065

Duration: October 2010 until September 2013

Funder: ESRC [16]-NWO

China's Energy Transition: Strategies to mitigate carbon lock-in (Apr 2006 - Apr 2009)

China is experiencing a sustained period of rapid economic growth, accompanied by large annual increases in energy demand. Coal continues to dominate the Chinese energy system, and accounts for the majority of new power generation capacity. Demand for imported oil is also increasing sharply. The environmental side effects of these trends are serious - both for China and for the international community.

This Tyndall funded project aims to assess alternative energy futures for China, examining the potentials for China to transform to make the transition to a less carbon-intensive, more sustainable energy path. The project will work with Chinese organisations to assess the success of policy initiatives, lessons learned and obstacles faced, paralleled with UK experience. The policy implications of this project will inform China and the UK about future energy policy options, and deployment of energy technology collaboration programmes.

This project builds on previous work on energy and environment in China [67] at the University of Sussex, carried out from 1999-2002.

Project Summary: China's Energy Transition: Strategies to mitigate carbon lock-in [68]

Workshops: Tyndall China Workshop, Beijing 2007 [69]

Project outputs:

Download the Final Report [70] and the presentations at the report launch event in Beijng on 29th April 2009 by Dr Tao Wang, Dr Jim Watson and Dr Jiang Kejun.

The role of innovative capabilities in low carbon development

Tyndall researchers at the University of Sussex are involved in a number of strategic policy reviews relating to the role of innovative capabilities in underpinning low carbon development trajectories in developing countries. This has included conducting reviews of available evidence for the UNDP Human Development Report, OECD Environment Directorate, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Government of Chile.

UK-China collaborative study on low carbon technology transfer

The Sussex Energy Group [99] within Tyndall Sussex is working with the Laboratory for Low Carbon Energy, Tsinghua University [100] on a collaborative project to investigate low carbon innovation in China.This project has a key focus on the role of technology transfer in fostering innovation - and builds on a similar UK-India collaboration between the Sussex Energy Group [99] and The Energy Resources Institute, India [101] (2006-2009).

As with the UK-India collaboration, the UK-China project will draw on case studies of specific low carbon technologies: energy efficiency in the cement industry, highly efficient coal-fired power generation, electric vehicles, and offshore wind power.

The project results will provide much needed empirical evidence to inform policy debates in the UK, China and internationally. More specifically, the project's results will feed into the UK government's negotiating position for the next UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties [102] in Mexico in late 2010.

Duration: Feb 2010 - Jan 2011

Funding: Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) [103]

UK-India collaborative study on low carbon technology transfer

Collaborative study between Tyndall researchers at the University of Sussex, TERI (The Energy Research Institute) in Delhi, India, the Institute for Development Studies, UK and Margaree Consultants, Canada. Funded by the DECC (the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change).