Publications
13 results found
Halkyard S, Levey S, Amer H, et al., 2024, Grantham Institute Outlook 2023-2024, www.imperial.ac.uk/grantham
The Grantham Institute Outlook magazine provides an overview of the climate and environmental research underway at Imperial College London, encompassing both recent achievements and future plans.
Ersoz A, Rhodes A, 2024, Delivering our future power system - an Energy Futures Lab briefing paper, Delivering Our Future Power System - An Energy Futures Lab Briefing Paper
Sheehan C, Green T, 2023, ChargeUp! Data Swap: Using data from battery swapping e-motorcyclesin Nairobi to assess impacts and plan infrastructure, ChargeUp! Data Swap: Using data from battery swapping e-motorcyclesin Nairobi to assess impacts and plan infrastructure, Publisher: Energy Futures Lab
The dearth of available data on e-motorcycle usage in Africancities is a significant challenge in impact studies of e-motorcycledeployment. The ChargeUp! project aimed to fill this research gapusing operational data from e-motorcycles and battery swap stationsin Nairobi to perform modelling and analysis to determine severalkey outputs. This project included the analysis of: e-motorcycle trips;battery swapping demand; battery charging energy consumption;swap battery charging related emissions for a high renewables andhigh fossil energy mix scenarios; charging related electricity costsfor different tariff scenarios; the effect of a co-ordinated chargingscenario on emissions and tariffs; optimal battery ratios and requirednumbers of swap stations; and a methodology to determine optimalregions for battery swap stations based on trip data.
Sheehan C, Green T, 2023, Kenya Charging Forward: A brief assessment of Kenya’s e-mobility policy landscape and proposed changes, Publisher: Energy Futures Lab
The transport sector’s share of Kenya’s total greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions has been projected to grow from 11% in 2015 to 14.7%by 2030 in a business as usual (BAU) scenario [1]. In line with theKenyan Government’s goal of reducing total GHG emissions by 32%relative to BAU in 2030 [2], it has begun several initiatives to startmitigating its transport emissions, including opportunities relatedto growing its nascent e-mobility sector. The private sector, with arange of around 25 new e-mobility companies [3], has been providingsolutions through the supply of various electric vehicles aimed atserving the local market, while also leading the way in deployingcharging and battery swapping infrastructure.
Rhodes A, Heptonstall P, Speirs J, 2022, Materials for Energy - An Energy Futures Lab and UKERC Briefing Paper, Publisher: Energy Futures Lab
The transition to Net Zero will require substantial quantities of criticalmaterials in order to build and maintain new technologies, from renewablegeneration to batteries for electric vehicles. Materials such as lithiumwill be required in much larger quantities than before, while novelmaterials may need to be developed to replace expensive or scarceconventional materials. This Briefing Paper considers the current availability and development of materials for the energy sector, investigating both current availability and forecasted production of several critical materials and looking at the state of development of novel materials in the energy sector. Four materials considered critical to new energy technologies and the low-carbon transition were investigated for availability based on known reserves and projected future demand: lithium, cobalt, tellurium and copper. These materials were selected to illustrate the key themes that relate to concerns over the demand and supply of those metals and other materials that will be required for the transition to a global low-carbon energy system.
Carmichael R, 2022, Accelerating the transition to heat pumps: measuring real-world performance and enabling peer-to-peer learning - An Energy Futures Lab Briefing Paper, Accelerating the transition to heat pumps: measuring real-world performance and enabling peer-to-peer learning
Major challenges exist for decarbonising heat in buildings through mass adoption of heat pumps. These include consumer uncertainty and gaps in evidence, data and installer skills. This Energy Futures Lab briefing paper explores in detail the potential impacts and feasibility of one approach to supporting the transition: leveraging early adopters by measuring in-situ heat pump installation outcomes and sharing these as case studies to enable peer-to-peer learning among consumers and installers. Topics discussed include: the role of advice and support in the heat pump adoption customer journey; methods of assessing heat pump and building performance; stakeholder benefits from sharing data; and the context for implementing these recommendations.
Teng F, Chhachhi SAURAB, Ge PUDONG, et al., 2022, Balancing privacy and access to smart meter data: an Energy Futures Lab briefing paper
Digitalising the energy system is expected to be a vital component of achieving the UK’s climate change targets. Smart meter data, in particular, is seen a key enabler of the transition to more dynamic, cost-effective, cost-reflective, and decarbonised electricity. However, access to this data faces a challenge due to consumer privacy concerns. This Briefing Paper investigates four key elements of smart meter data privacy: existing data protection regulations; the personal information embedded within smart meter data; consumer privacy concerns; and privacy-preserving techniques that could be incorporated alongside existing mechanisms to minimise or eliminate potential privacy infringements.
Kallitsis E, Lander L, Edge J, et al., 2022, Safe and sustainable lithium-ion batteries, Safe and Sustainable Lithium-ion Batteries, Publisher: Imperial College London - Energy Futures Lab
The transition to clean energy and electric mobility is driving unprecedented demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This paper investigates the safety and sustainability of LIBs, exploring ways of reducing their impact on the environment and ensuring they do not pose a danger to health of workers or users.
Trask A, Hanna R, Rhodes A, 2022, The future of home heating: The roles of heat pumps and hydrogen, The Future of Home Heating: The Roles of Heat Pumps and Hydrogen
In this Briefing Paper, the prospectsfor the future of home heating areanalysed with specific reference toheat pumps and hydrogen heating.The report is based on extensiveliterature surrounding the topic ofdecarbonisation of the heat sectorin the UK and will discuss thevarious advantages, challenges, andtechnicalities surrounding the twotechnologies. The evidence gatheredand discussed culminates in a set ofrecommendations that prioritise keyareas that require addressing overthe course of the next decade.
Trask A, Wills K, Green T, et al., 2021, Impacts of COVID-19 on the Energy System, Impacts of COVID-19 on the Energy System
This Briefing Paper explores the impactthe COVID-19 pandemic had on the UK’senergy sector over the course of thefirst government-mandated nationallockdown that began on 23 March 2020.Research from several aspects of theIntegrated Development of Low-carbonEnergy Systems (IDLES) programme atImperial College London is presented inone overarching paper. The main aim isto determine what lessons can be learntfrom that lockdown period, given theunique set of challenges it presented inour daily lives and the changes it broughtabout in energy demand, supply, anduse. Valuable insights are gained intohow working-from-home policies,electric vehicles, and low-carbon gridscan be implemented, incentivised, andmanaged effectively.
Aunedi M, Wills K, Green T, et al., 2021, Net-zero GB electricity: cost-optimal generation and storage mix, Great Britain's electricity generation capacity mix for net-zero carbon emissions, Publisher: Energy Futures Lab
Carmichael R, Rhodes A, Hanna R, et al., 2020, Smart and flexible electric heat: an energy futures lab briefing paper, Smart and Flexible Electric Heat: An Energy Futures Lab Briefing Paper
Heating in residential, commercial and industrial settings makes up almost half of final energy consumption in the UK, more than the energy consumed for electricity or transport. The electrification of heat is anticipated to play a major role for the UK’s efforts to reduce emissions to net-zero by 2050. Heating demand is highly variable between seasons and time of day. To take maximum advantage of low-carbon generation, and to respect the limitations of the distribution grid, electricity loads for heating will need to be flexible. This Briefing Paper explores the potential for smart flexible low-carbon electric heating in UK homes and the challenges for consumer engagement. This paper considers four key elements for enabling smart, flexible and cost- effective electric heating in UK homes: low-carbon heating systems; cost-reflective electricity pricing; thermally efficient buildings; and smart storage devices.
Rhodes A, 2020, Digitalisation of Energy: An Energy Futures Lab Briefing Paper, Digitalisation of Energy: An Energy Futures Lab Briefing Paper, London, Publisher: Energy Futures Lab
Digital technology has the potential toradically reshape the way we generate,trade and consume energy. Over the pastdecade, the incorporation of informationand communications technology intothe energy system has emerged as asignificant driver of change in the sectorbut the pace and scale of that change islikely to increase dramatically over thedecades to come.This Briefing Paper investigates the keytechnologies that underpin the digitisation ofenergy and examines their potential impacts. Theoverarching objective of the paper is to understandthe effects new technologies will have on thecurrent energy system, the new challenges theywill pose, and the policies and regulatory measureswhich will assist in making them a success.Specifically, this paper considers four technologicalareas of digitalisation: big data; machine learningand AI; the Internet of things; and distributedledger technology, often referred to as blockchain.
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