There is an accumulating body of knowledge on whole energy systems research designs and methods, but this is scattered among different centres and networks – creating missed opportunities for learning from experience.

The EPSRC National Centre for Energy Systems Integration (CESI) and ClimateXChange (Scotland’s Centre of Expertise on Climate Change) co-hosted this invitation-only workshop on research designs and methods for whole systems and energy system integration research.

The workshop reported early findings from a CESI Flex Fund project on interdisciplinary research for energy systems integration, and allowed a structured discussion between CESI researchers and other senior researchers with experience of other interdisciplinary whole systems research centres, such as Transition Pathways / Realising Transition Pathways, the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) and wholeSEM, the Whole Systems Energy Modelling Consortium.

Other key bodies involved in whole energy systems analysis were represented including:

• Scottish Government
• UK Committee on Climate Change
• Energy Systems Catapult
• UKRI