Energy
'Meeting the genuine energy needs of a rapidly expanding and developing world population against a background of diminishing fossil fuels reserves and a growing climate change threat is a major challenge.'
Theme Coordinator: Dermot Roddy, Sir Joseph Swan Centre for Energy Research
www.ncl.ac.uk/energy
The sustainable energy challenge is inherently interdisciplinary, drawing upon expertise in most of the engineering and physical science disciplines and spanning a range of renewable, low-carbon and clean thermal technologies. Beyond getting the technology right, we need energy solutions that work for people. This involves influencing behaviour, policy and regulation and attending to environmental impacts. Via active research projects and using facilities located in eleven different Schools, the Sir Joseph Swan Centre for Energy Research enables experts from across Newcastle University to work together to develop 'greener' energy solutions. Swan’s mission is to provide an intellectual lead in the pursuit of the low-carbon economy of the future by developing new technologies which reconcile human needs for energy conversion and use with social and ecological needs. Key to this is the ability to respond quickly to opportunities as they arise.
Bio-Energy:Our research on bio-energy spans the whole supply chain from growing novel feedstocks (various biomass crops, algae), processing them in novel ways, converting them into fuels and chemical feedstocks and developing new engines to use the products.
Novel Geo-Energy:New ways of obtaining clean energy from the geosphere is a vital area of research, particularly given current concerns over both the limited remaining resources of fossil fuels and the impact of using fossil fuels for energy on the environment.
Energy Conversion, Storage and Distribution:Research is focussed on the following areas: Distributed generation; Electrical and thermal energy storage; Electric machine design, control and power electronics; Grid connection and stability; Fuel cells and hydrogen; Thermal systems development; Wave and tidal energy; Wind energy; Photovoltaics and solar thermal; Nuclear; Hydro-electric.
Social Impact and Policy:Research in this area is divided into two key areas: Public engagement, policy & skills and environmental impact assessment. We are also working in partnership with Newcastle City Council on plans to make Newcastle the world's first carbon neutral city.
For further information, email sustainability@ncl.ac.uk.