Scenarios for the Development of Smart Grids in the UK: Literature Review

This Working Paper reviews the existing literature on the socio-technical aspects of smart grid development. This work was undertaken as part of the Scenarios for the Development of Smart Grids in the UK project

Sources of Risk and Uncertainty in UK Smart Grid Deployment: An Expert Stakeholder Analysis

The shift to increasingly smarter grids will require preparation and planning on the part of a diverse selection of current and future stakeholders. There are substantive sources of uncertainty that will impact on the adoption of smarter grid solutions. Risks and uncertainties are placed in one of seven categories: markets, users, data and information, 28 supply mix, policy, investment conditions, and networks. Each of these has the potential to add risk to the planning profiles of the stakeholders involved. Here, UK stakeholders drawn from industry, government, regulators, and academia are canvassed about potential sources of uncertainty within the UK’s electricity sector and the attendant risks that might be engendered by them.UK Research Council

Dynamic Phase Transitions in Cell Spreading

We monitored isotropic spreading of mouse embryonic fibroblasts on fibronectin-coated substrates. Cell adhesion area versus time was measured via total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Spreading proceeds in well-defined phases. We found a power-law area growth with distinct exponents a_i in three sequential phases, which we denote basal (a_1=0.4+-0.2), continous (a_2=1.6+-0.9) and contractile (a_3=0.3+-0.2) spreading. High resolution differential interference contrast microscopy was used to characterize local membrane dynamics at the spreading front. Fourier power spectra of membrane velocity reveal the sudden development of periodic membrane retractions at the transition from continous to contractile spreading. We propose that the classification of cell spreading into phases with distinct functional characteristics and protein activity patterns serves as a paradigm for a general program of a phase classification of cellular phenotype. Biological variability is drastically reduced when only the corresponding phases are used for comparison across species/different cell lines.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Scenarios for the Development of Smart Grids in the UK: Synthesis Report

Building on extensive expert feedback and input, this Research Report describes four smart grid scenarios which consider how the UK' electricity system might develop to 2050. The scenarios outline how political decisions, as well as those made in regulation, finance, technology, consumer and social behaviour, market design or response, might affect the decisions of other actors and limit or allow the availability of future options

Scenarios for the Development Smart Grids in the UK — Synthesis Report

Research report | https://ukerc.ac.uk/publications/scenarios-for-the-development-of-smart-grids-in-the-uk‘Smart grid’ is a catch-all term for the smart options that could transform the ways society produces, delivers and consumes energy, and potentially the way we conceive of these services. Delivering energy more intelligently will be fundamental to decarbonising the UK electricity system at least possible cost, while maintaining security and reliability of supply. Smarter energy delivery is expected to allow the integration of more low carbon technologies and to be much more cost effective than traditional methods, as well as contributing to economic growth by opening up new business and innovation opportunities. Innovating new options for energy system management could lead to cost savings of up to £10bn, even if low carbon technologies do not emerge. This saving will be much higher if UK renewable energy targets are achieved. Building on extensive expert feedback and input, this report describes four smart grid scenarios which consider how the UK’s electricity system might develop to 2050. The scenarios outline how political decisions, as well as those made in regulation, finance, technology, consumer and social behaviour, market design or response, might affect the decisions of other actors and limit or allow the availability of future options. The project aims to explore the degree of uncertainty around the current direction of the electricity system and the complex interactions of a whole host of factors that may lead to any one of a wide range of outcomes. Our addition to this discussion will help decision makers to understand the implications of possible actions and better plan for the future, whilst recognising that it may take any one of a number of forms.UKR

Scenarios for the Development of Smart Grids in the UK: Literature Review

This Working Paper reviews the existing literature on the socio-technical aspects of smart grid development. This work was undertaken as part of the Scenarios for the Development of Smart Grids in the UK project

CONTAIN D11 : integrated final results and conclusions

Carbon capture and storage is a technology capable of reducing CO2 outputs on a large scale; the concept usually requires CO2 to be removed from post-combustion flue gases and sequestered in geological formations. Depleted gas fields constitute “the most important storage type for the UK” and will provide a large and important potential future offshore storage capacity (DECC, 2012). Over the last 4 years, the CONTAIN research project has focussed on the geomechanical behaviour of depleted hydrocarbon fields in response to injection with CO2, combining a modelling and experimental approach with the public perceptions of CCS into three work packages. The project has provided a better understanding of the hydromechanical impacts of depletion on caprocks and the effect of subsequent CO2 injection, in order to assist with the implementation of CCS in this type of reservoir. Work package 1 outlined a phenomenological approach to assessing possible deformation during operation. Focus was placed on rock mechanics and transport experiments on material from the geologies of target formations in the North Sea, providing information that could be incorporated into numerical simulations. Work package 2 expanded this understanding by considering fractured caprock. Numerical modelling was used to study the deformation of an initially intact caprock caused by the depletion of an underlying reservoir during oil extraction. Deformation and flow were geomechanically modelled in three dimensions using a fully coupled poroelastic model, incorporating discrete fractures and faults into the caprock. Work package 3 offered new and valuable insight on future public awareness campaigns aimed at gaining acceptance of CCS. Qualitative expert interviews have been used, a CCS expert survey and a public survey across four countries to gain an understanding of perceptions of CCS risks and benefits, and has allowed for comparison of views on CCS between experts and public. In addition, the work package has explored the impact of different message framings on CCS attitudes. The findings of each work package are summarised in this report, with each work package represented by a report chapter. A synthesis of the findings and discussion of the work as a whole follows

Future research priorities for climate friendly transport: agenda creation, consultation and results analysis

Research funding and innovation processes are key instruments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport. On the basis of scientific breakthroughs in recent years, the explosion in knowledge on transport sector is set to deliver a continuous stream of new applications. REACT is one of the FP7 projects that contributes to the development of a European-wide strategy on climate-friendly transport research funding based on a review of research themes’ importance. A Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) was set up, in order to define research priorities, develop future roadmaps, and suggest targets that can be actually achieved in the field of climate friendly transport. The SRA future vision is inspired by the EU strategic objectives towards 2020, e.g. shares the same targets for carbon reduction. The SRA has been built taking into account the current EU research programs on transport and mobility, analyzing the research agendas of selected European Technologies Platforms, and considering the points of view of different key stakeholders (market players, academics, policy makers, publics) through a consultation process. The consultation process has been articulated into three phases, characterized by different consultation procedures: 1. Expert validation of structure and initial; 2. Expert consultation, involving high profile experts and key–players in climate friendly transport; 3. Open consultation, a less detailed consultation but open to the wider public. REACT SRA considers all research areas in transportation that tackle the GHG emission problem, considering not only research on technology related aspects but also on policy, economy and social issues. The methodology for data analysis synthesizes results; it also considers and evaluates the level of certainty bound to responses received. A set of evaluations provides a general picture of the research priorities to be considered. Different ranks have been allocated according to weighting criteria that have been defined in numerous consultations with the experts. The identification of the most promising research areas is anticipated to give an indication to the European Commission of the research topics recommended for strategic financial support in the next decades

Greener streets and behaviours, and green-eyed neighbours: a controlled study evaluating the impact of a sustainable urban drainage scheme in Wales on sustainability

This study assessed the impact of introducing a Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDs) scheme to a socioeconomically deprived area, on residents buy-in and sustainable behaviours. Surveys were completed before the scheme was implemented by 180 residents (in affected n = 79 and neighbouring streets n = 101) and 1 year after the schemes completion by 51 residents. Following scheme completion, sustainable behaviours significantly increased by 17% in the scheme area and by 9% in the neighbouring streets. Written feedback indicated increased buy-in from residents affected by the scheme, and from neighbouring areas. Written feedback before the scheme included: (i) Concerns about parking; (ii) Liking the scheme; (iii) Feeling consultation was lacking; and (iv) Feeling the scheme was a waste of funds. Feedback after scheme completion included: (i) Feeling the SuDs improved the area; (ii) Remaining concerns about parking; (iii) Valuing the extra green space in the neighbouring area; and (iv) Wanting the SuDs in neighbouring streets. Introducing Green Infrastructure may improve resident’s sustainable behaviours. Importantly, residents in neighbouring areas became envious of the SuDs once completed and showed increased sustainable behaviours indicating spill-over effects. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) recently took place, and England is considering statutory SuDs as seen in the scheme discussed here. Therefore, this research is particularly relevant to local authorities and stakeholders who can struggle to communicate the multi-benefits of sustainable urban design solutions