Academy announces new UK-Germany collaborative projects on energy transition

A UK–Germany energy symposium, organised by the Royal Academy of Engineering in October 2020 with the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech), has led to the launch today of ten collaborative projects aimed at transitioning energy supplies to more sustainable sources.

Supported by funding from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, each project features a newly formed UK–Germany coalition that will seek to address a specific transition challenge common to both countries, such as the deployment of energy storage solutions, approaches to public interaction, the use of peatlands for carbon storage and the decarbonisation of urban freight transport.

Last year’s energy symposium brought together 60 engineers, scientists, policymakers and energy professionals from the two nations to explore how to deliver the energy transition in a large European economy.

At a time when the UK is redefining its relationship with the world, it is important that mechanisms are in place that allow the UK’s world-leading engineers and scientists to remain at the forefront of international action to solve global challenges such as climate change. The UK and the European Union share not only many of the same challenges and ambitions in transitioning to more sustainable forms of energy, but also the same supply infrastructure. The Academy continues to operate at the interface of industry and academia and believes collaboration will be key to achieving success.

Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Academy, said: “No-one can be in any doubt that there is a need for colossal transformation if we are to decarbonise the energy industry to meet required targets. These ten new projects are part of that process

“The Royal Academy of Engineering places huge importance on international partnerships such as these and we are working hard to ensure these relationships remain strong following Brexit and just as strong in the face of other barriers to collaboration that we may encounter, like the current global pandemic.

“UK institutions must step up and do what they can during what is a big year for climate action and diplomacy. By the time the UK co-hosts COP26 in November in my home city of Glasgow, I hope that our two countries will have compelling examples to show other nations what can be achieved.”

The ten projects receiving funding are:

Dr Aram Kalhori, GFZ German Research Centre for Geoscience, Germany
Quantifying nature-based carbon storage potentials of organic soils by various peatland management scenarios

Dr Conrad Kunze, Free University of Berlin, Germany
Mainstreaming community energy and renewable energy efficient measures with State Programs – a collaboration between the UK and Germany (MCEEM)

Dr Lars-Peter Lauven, University of Kassel, Germany
Integration of offshore wind power

Professor Xiaohong Li, University of Exeter, UK
Flow battery and green hydrogen as energy storage system in coupling renewable energy source

Dr Colin Nolden University of Oxford, UK
Energy demand governance for zero carbon

Dr Danny Otto, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany
Trust in technologies for a zero carbon future

Dr Aidan Rhodes, Imperial College, UK
A comparison of consumer attitudes and incentives for demand response and flexible tariffs in the UK and Germany

Dr Adriano Sciacovelli, University of Birmingham, UK
Realizing the whole-system value of energy storage in UK and German future low carbon grids – initial assessment of long duration storage through Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) and thermal energy storage

Dr Hawal Shamon, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany
Effectivity of decarbonisation measures in the household heating sector in UK and Germany

Dr Aruna Sivakumar, Imperial College, UK
Sustainable and Multimodal Urban Freight Logistics

The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.

Media enquiries to: Pippa Cox at the Royal Academy of Engineering Tel. +44 207 766 0745; email: [email protected]