Oil and Gas
Global oil companies are rapidly becoming global natural gas companies. Liquified Natural Gas ensures that natural gas is no longer a commodity transmitted by pipeline. These shifts affect the trading and the supply chains of natural gas. Natural gas is a relatively clean fuel that has grown greatly in importance for electricity generation in recent years. The UK has recently started to import natural gas as its own reserves deplete. Natural gas exports from Russia will form a major part of western European energy security in the decades to come.
Energy Efficiency
Improving the efficiency of energy use is clearly beneficial. Not only could such improvement reduce environmental impact, but could also mean that the energy available within a country could meet the country’s needs and thus reduce or limit dependence on imported energy.
Energy Systems Education
We plan to offer comment and insight into policy-making in the area of skills for energy. We are concerned as to the sustainability of UK human resources in the energy sector. Energy needs to be an attractive career path for young scientists and engineers.
Energy Intelligence and Security
Energy infrastructures are among the most critical for the stable operation of the global economy. Energy extraction and conversion installations are vulnerable to both accidents and deliberate sabotage. Energy transport systems may be vulnerable at choke points or because of insufficient network back-up.
Nuclear New Build
The twin demands of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy security are driving several western nations to consider a new wave of nuclear power plants. In most of these countries there are widespread concerns regarding building cost, plant safety, radioactive waste and the proliferation of weapons-usable material. We aim to provide neutral academic advice on certain aspects of these complex questions.
Sustainable Hydrogen Production
The era of easy oil is over. How will we fuel our vehicles in the mid twenty-first century? Can we find a way to decarbonise our transport system? Some have suggested that a hydrogen economy could be a solution. Hydrogen would not be a fuel, but an energy carrier, reminiscent of electricity. Hydrogen will need to be produced cleanly and stored and used efficiently on vehicles. Our concerns relate to the sustainable production of hydrogen on a bulk scale. One of our preferred concepts is known as Fusion Island.
The Future of Coal
Following the recognition that the burning of fossil fuels was a major contributor to climate change many argued persuasively that there was no future for coal. But the emerging issue of energy security brings many countries to consider how they might balance their energy portfolios to be less dependent on imports and less susceptible to wide variations in supply and prices.
Future Projects
We always welcome suggestions from industry and from the academic community that are relevant to the energy security agenda.