Imperial College London

Professor Jim Skea CBE FRSE FEI HonFSE

Faculty of Natural SciencesCentre for Environmental Policy

Emeritus Professor
 
 
 
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Contact

 

+44 (0)20 7594 6288j.skea Website

 
 
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Assistant

 

Ms Maria Eugenia Gabao Lisboa +44 (0)20 7594 8804

 
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Location

 

208Weeks BuildingSouth Kensington Campus

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Summary

 

Publications

Publication Type
Year
to

80 results found

Skea J, Shukla P, Al Khourdajie A, McCollum Det al., 2021, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: transparency and integrated assessment modeling, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: WIREs Climate Change, Vol: 12, ISSN: 1757-7780

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) connect trends in future socioeconomic and technological development with impacts on the environment, such as global climate change. They occupy a critical position at the global science-policy interface. IAMs and associated scenarios have come under intense scrutiny, with critiques addressing both methodological and substantive issues, such as land use, carbon dioxide removal and technology performance. Criticisms have also addressed the transparency of IAM methods and assumptions as well as the transparency of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment of IAMs. This paper, authored by the co-chairs of IPCC Working Group III and members of the Technical Support Unit, documents activities aiming to enhance the transparency of IAMs and their assessment. It includes a history of IPCC's approach to scenarios covering the formation of the Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium (IAMC) in 2007 and the emergence of the approach by which IPCC facilitates the development of scenarios, but does not produce them itself. An IPCC Expert Meeting at the start of the current assessment cycle made transparency recommendations targeted at both the research community and IPCC. The community has taken steps to “open the black box” by moving toward open-source and web-publishing IAM documentation. IPCC has included an Annex to its next report focusing on scenarios and modeling methodologies. An open call for scenario data linked to the current IPCC report includes an expanded set of input and output variables. This paper ends with suggested criteria for measuring the success of these efforts to improve transparency.

Journal article

Skea J, van Diemen R, Portugal-Pereira J, Al Khourdajie Aet al., 2021, Outlooks, explorations and normative scenarios: approaches to global energy futures compared, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol: 168, ISSN: 0040-1625

This paper compares recent global energy scenarios developed by governments, international bodies, businesses and the scientific community. We divide the scenarios into three broad classes: outlooks which extrapolate current trends and anticipate policy developments; exploratory scenarios which may consider disruptions; and normative scenarios which derive energy system pathways consistent with a long-term goal. Many organisations are starting to blend outlooks, exploratory and normative approaches. The paper covers trends in primary energy demand to 2040, snapshots of the energy mix in 2040, drivers of demand, and the evolution of scenarios projections developed in recent years. We find sharp divergences between outlooks and normative scenarios compatible with the Paris Agreement on climate change. All published outlooks imply that the world is not on an energy pathway compatible with the Paris Agreement. We conclude with an assessment of emerging themes including: scenario benchmarking and group think; adaptation of scenarios to real world developments; and the plausibility of different types of scenarios. We propose that more dialogue between scenario developers from the scientific community and those working in governments and commercial organisations could be beneficial. Research focusing on the organisational processes through which scenarios are developed could usefully extend this work.

Journal article

Skea J, van Diemen R, Hannon M, Gazis E, Rhodes Aet al., 2019, Energy Innovation for the Twenty-First Century: Accelerating the Energy Revolution, Publisher: Edward Elgar, ISBN: 978 1 78811 261 1

This book addresses the question: how effective are countries in promoting the innovation needed to facilitate an energy transition? At the heart of the book is a set of empirical case studies covering supply and demand side technologies at different levels of maturity in a variety of countries. The case studies are set within an analytical framework encompassing the functions of technological innovation systems and innovation metrics. The book concludes with lessons and recommendations for effective policy intervention.

Book

Shukla PR, Skea J, Calvo Buendia E, Masson-Delmotte V, Pörtner H-O, Roberts DC, Zhai P, Slade R, Connors S, van Diemen R, Ferrat M, Haughey E, Luz S, Neogi S, Pathak M, Petzold J, Portugal Pereira J, Vyas P, Huntley E, Kissick K, Belkacemi M, Malley Jet al., 2019, IPCC, 2019: Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable landmanagement, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems, Publisher: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Report

Skea J, Gazis E, Rhodes A, van Diemen R, Hannon Met al., 2019, Energy Innovation for the Twenty-First Century, Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Book

Hannon M, van Diemen R, Skea, 2017, Examining the effectiveness of support for UK wave energy innovation since 2000, Examining the effectiveness of support for UK wave energy innovation since 2000: Lost at sea or a new wave of innovation?

Report

Hu R, Skea J, Hannon MJ, 2017, Measuring the energy innovation process: An indicator framework and a case study of wind energy in China, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol: 127, Pages: 227-244, ISSN: 0040-1625

Whilst a well-established literature on metrics to assess innovation performance exists, relatively little work has linked it to the energy technology innovation process. This paper systematically brings together indicator sets and derives an indicator framework for measuring energy innovation, offering an important step forward in the quantitative evaluation of energy innovation performance. It incorporates input, output and outcome metrics that relate to different stages along the energy technology innovation chain, namely research, development, demonstration, market formation and diffusion. To test its efficacy, the indicator framework is applied to the case of wind energy in China, drawing comparisons against global market leaders such as Denmark, Germany and the USA. The paper finds that the framework enables a more rigorous comparative analysis of energy innovation between countries than currently offered by either the application of piecemeal indicators and complements contextually rich qualitative case studies. The empirical analysis shows that China has begun to lead across a range of innovation inputs (e.g. R & D expenditure) and outputs (e.g. publications) but lags considerably behind international competitors against other output and outcome indicators such as patents, revenue and exports.

Journal article

van Diemen R, Pathak M, Correia de Oliveira de Portugal Pereira J, Shukla PR, Skea J, Slade Ret al., 2017, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report Cycle, 2015 – 2022: Cities and Mitigation

Poster

Rhodes A, van Diemen R, 2016, Has the Low Carbon Network Fund been successful at stimulating innovation in the electricity networks?, British Instutite of Energy Economics 2016: Innovation and Disruption: The Energy Sector in Transition

The physical basis of today’s electricity networks are based on engineering design principles whichhave not changed substantially since World War 2. This has led to a stable, secure but intrinsicallyconservative electricity network system, characterised by small, incremental changes andtechnological advances. However, two major drivers are currently pushing a period of substantialinnovation and change in the networks. The first of these is the need to incorporate increasingquantities of variable renewable generation at distribution level, as well as to prepare for increasinglevels of electrification in heating and transport. The second comprises the new opportunities arisingfrom the incorporation of ICT technology into the networks, including smart metering, smartappliances, demand-side participation and the development of new business models and serviceswhich facilitate active consumer engagement.These drivers challenge the notion of an electricity grid being a simple unidirectional series of wiresand transformers and make the case for a ‘smart grid’, in which information and communicationtechnologies (ICT) are integrated directly into the electricity networks. These advances have thepotential to transform the way customers and supply companies interact with electricity, and providesignificant new commercial opportunities for communications, monitoring, control and dataaggregation technologies throughout the electricity system from generation through to the consumer.New network and smart grid technologies are a major focus in the UK’s low carbon innovationstrategy, with substantial public funding (£81 million p.a) provided through the Ofgem-administeredLow Carbon Network Fund (LCNF) and its successor the Network Innovation Competition (NIC).These are novel programmes, both in the UK and elsewhere due to their structure, which involvesconsortia led by network operating companies bidding for public funds. The LCNF has recentlycompleted i

Conference paper

Hu R, Skea J, Hannon M, 2016, A multi-dimensional indicator framework for evaluating energy technology innovation system, DRUID Academy

Conference paper

Rhodes A, Skea J, Hannon M, 2014, The global surge in energy innovation, Energies, Vol: 7, Pages: 5601-5623, ISSN: 1996-1073

Policymakers are seeking a transformation of the energy system driven by concerns about climate change, energy security and affordability. At the same time, emerging developments in underpinning science and engineering are opening up new possibilities across the whole technology spectrum covering renewables and other supply side technologies, energy demand and energy infrastructure. This paper reviews both the “policy pull” for energy innovation activities and the “science and technology push”. It explores the expectations of a variety of organisations in both the public and private sector regarding these pressures and possibilities by assessing various scenarios and outlook exercises that have been published since 2013. It reveals a wide range of beliefs about the future development of the energy system. The paper then moves on to analyse private sector expenditure on energy research and development (R&D) and public sector budgets for energy R&D and demonstration (RD&D). This analysis demonstrates significant divergences in patterns of innovation between the private and public sectors and leads to the hypothesis that the private sector is, broadly, taking measures to reinforce the existing energy paradigm while the public sector is focusing on new energy technologies that support wider policy objectives. This pattern is consistent with past technological transitions, with innovation efforts that would transform the energy system being counteracted by countervailing efforts that reinforce the existing fossil fuel-based paradigm.

Journal article

Hannon M, Skea J, 2014, UK innovation support for energy demand reduction, Proceedings of the ICE - Energy

Journal article

Kokoni S, Skea J, 2014, Input-output and life-cycle emissions accounting: applications in the real world, CLIMATE POLICY, Vol: 14, Pages: 372-396, ISSN: 1469-3062

Journal article

Winskel M, Radcliffe J, Skea J, Wang Xet al., 2014, Remaking the UK's energy technology innovation system: From the margins to the mainstream, ENERGY POLICY, Vol: 68, Pages: 591-602, ISSN: 0301-4215

Journal article

Skea J, 2014, The renaissance of energy innovation, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, Vol: 7, Pages: 21-24, ISSN: 1754-5692

Journal article

Skea J, Hourcade J-C, Lechtenbohmer S, 2013, Climate policies in a changing world context: is a paradigm shift needed? (vol 13, pg S1, 2013), CLIMATE POLICY, Vol: 13, Pages: 410-410, ISSN: 1469-3062

Journal article

Skea J, Hourcade J-C, Lechtenboehmer S, 2013, Climate policies in a changing world context: is a paradigm shift needed?, CLIMATE POLICY, Vol: 13, Pages: 1-4, ISSN: 1469-3062

Journal article

Skea J, Lechtenboehmer S, Asuka J, 2013, Climate policies after Fukushima: three views, CLIMATE POLICY, Vol: 13, Pages: 36-54, ISSN: 1469-3062

Journal article

Skea J, Hourcade J-C, Lechtenboehmer S, 2013, Climate policies in a changing world context: is a paradigm shift needed?, CLIMATE POLICY, Vol: 13, Pages: 1-4, ISSN: 1469-3062

Journal article

Skea J, Lechtenboehmer S, Asuka J, 2013, Climate policies after Fukushima: three views, CLIMATE POLICY, Vol: 13, Pages: 36-54, ISSN: 1469-3062

Journal article

Kokoni S, Skea J, 2013, CONSUMPTION-BASED AND LIFE-CYCLE EMISSIONS ACCOUNTING: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN SUPPORTING CLIMATE POLICY, 13th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST), Publisher: GLOBAL NEST, SECRETARIAT, ISSN: 1106-5516

Conference paper

Skea J, 2012, Research and evidence needs for decarbonisation in the built environment: a UK case study, BUILDING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION, Vol: 40, Pages: 432-445, ISSN: 0961-3218

Journal article

Skea J, Chaudry M, Wang X, 2012, The role of gas infrastructure in promoting UK energy security, ENERGY POLICY, Vol: 43, Pages: 202-213, ISSN: 0301-4215

Journal article

Gross R, Heptonstall P, Leach M, Skea J, Anderson D, Green Tet al., 2012, The uk energy research centre review of the costs and impacts of intermittency, Renewable Electricity and the Grid: The Challenge of Variability, Pages: 73-94, ISBN: 9781849772334

Book chapter

Chaudry M, Skea J, Wang X, Jenkins Net al., 2012, Modelling UK energy system response to natural gas supply infrastructure failures, PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS PART A-JOURNAL OF POWER AND ENERGY, Vol: 226, Pages: 501-513, ISSN: 0957-6509

Journal article

Skea J, 2012, Research and evidence needs for decarbonisation in the built environment: a UK case study, BUILDING RESEARCH AND INFORMATION, Vol: 40, Pages: 432-445, ISSN: 0961-3218

Journal article

Skea J, Ekins P, Winskel M, 2011, Energy 2050, Publisher: Routledge, ISBN: 9781849710848

This book explores in detail those factors which could help or hinder the attainment of the UK's climate change targets, and how these factors interact with the parallel objective of maintaining a robust and secure energy system.

Book

Skea J, 2010, Valuing diversity in energy supply, ENERGY POLICY, Vol: 38, Pages: 3608-3621, ISSN: 0301-4215

Journal article

Skea J, 2009, Delivering a Low-Carbon Electricity System, ENERGY POLICY, Vol: 37, Pages: 2457-2458, ISSN: 0301-4215

Journal article

Fankhauser S, Kennedy D, Skea J, 2009, Building a low-carbon economy: The inaugural report of the UK Committee on Climate Change, ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS, Vol: 8, Pages: 201-208, ISSN: 1747-7891

Journal article

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