Titled ‘The road to net zero: renewables and nuclear working together’, the report shines a spotlight on the flexibility of nuclear as an energy source and its potential in a net zero future.

The report offers a fresh perspective on nuclear, which – until now – has not often been seen as a flexible technology because it operates best when run flat out continuously. However, in addition to nuclear reactors producing electricity, the process produces nuclear-enabled heat and hydrogen, a storable standby energy source.

While the experts agree that renewable energy sources should be a major contributor to future energy strategy, there is an argument that nuclear energy can complement the variability of renewables contending with the UK’s island weather system – negating the need to rely on expensive back-up natural gas power plants.

Zara Hodgson, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at The University of Manchester said: “The time to research, evaluate and plan for the delivery of a clean energy future is now – and the clock is ticking. We hope this report will prompt debate within the energy sector and help to inform policy, so that Great Britain is in the best possible position to meet its ambitious 2050 net zero target.

“Great strides have already been made in driving forward renewable energy initiatives and moving away from fossil fuel burning power plants. And as part of an integrated approach to Great Britain’s future energy mix, nuclear can help ensure gas power plants do not play a key role.”

Included in the report are the Dalton Nuclear Institute’s ten recommendations to government and industry for effective net zero road-mapping, including the need for decision-making on the future energy mix to consider the capacity factors of new and existing infrastructure. The delivery of low-carbon, cost-effective dispatchable electricity must also be prioritised to support the overall system.

Traditionally, proponents of renewables and nuclear have been divided in their viewpoints. However, the report stresses the importance of a joined-up approach where nuclear, renewables, energy storage and hydrogen production can all play their parts in a cleaner, greener future. You can access the full report via the Dalton Nuclear Institute website

Professor Carly McLachlan, Director of Manchester Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, was among a group of government officials, business leaders and climate organisations at the exclusive conference hosted by King Charles III.

The reception, on 6 November, aimed to accelerate climate action before the UN climate change conference Cop29.

Professor McLachlan represented the University’s collaboration with Act 1.5, an artist-led research and action initiative incepted by the band Massive Attack to address carbon reduction within live music. Act 1.5 works closely with climate scientists at the , with its name referencing the goal of keeping global temperature rises below 1.5°C, in line with the Paris Agreement.

At the event Professor McLachlan and the team had the opportunity to discuss their project to the UK’s climate leaders, highlighting how the live music industry can play a pivotal role in reducing carbon emissions and inspiring sustainable practices across the entertainment sector and beyond.

Following several years of developmental work by Act 1.5 in collaboration with the Tyndall Centre at The University of Manchester, the city of Liverpool was recently named the . The city will become a testing ground for innovative ideas and climate strategies in music, film, and television.

The initiative will officially launch later this month in Liverpool with three nights of live performances and a two-day conference, one for industry and one for the public, dedicated to exploring sustainable practices in the live entertainment sector.

It builds on a commissioned by the band Massive Attack to produce what is anticipated to have been the lowest greenhouse gas emissions show of its size ever staged.

After a year, the Accelerator status will be passed to another global city. The University’s researchers will work with various ‘experiments’ across the Liverpool City Region to capture and synthesise the insights gained from Liverpool’s experiences to inform the next Accelerator City.

The Act 1.5 and Accelerator City initiative were represented by Robin Kemp, Head of Creative at Culture Liverpool; and musician Nile Rodgers, alongside Professor McLachlan at the Buckingham Palace Reception. Four-time Grammy Award winner Nile Rodgers will play one of the three nights of shows in Liverpool later this month.

Organised by , the workshop provided an engaging platform for sharing the latest advancements in SF₆ leak mitigation, lifecycle management of SF₆ alternatives, retrofill replacement interventions, and new applications for high-voltage systems. The event featured insightful presentations from industry leaders, including Hitachi Energy, GE Vernova and Siemens Energy, and concluded with closing remarks from NGET.

Attendees were offered technical tours of the National Graphene Institute and High Voltage Laboratory, showcasing state-of-the-art research facilities. The event included representatives from network utilities across Great Britain, Ireland and France, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The workshop demonstrated the commitment of key industry players to advance SF₆ alternatives and pave the way for more sustainable power systems in the future.

Led by Professor Deborah Greaves at the University of Plymouth, the Supergen ORE Hub includes co-directors from a consortium of ten universities. From The University of Manchester, serves as a Co-Director and is an Early Career Researcher (ECR) Co-Lead.

The report, aimed at researchers, industry, policymakers, and the public, summarises the current impacts of climate change and the UK’s progress in reducing carbon emissions. It outlines offshore renewable energy deployment pathways needed for a just, sustainable and secure energy transition, with 2040 identified as a key milestone towards the UK 2050 Net Zero goals.

Key findings from the report include:

• Achieving 100 GW of offshore wind energy by 2040 is critical, requiring a nearly seven times increase in capacity. Radical innovation is essential to optimise and scale up growth.
• Tidal stream energy has the potential to grow alongside offshore wind and could reach over 11 GW of capacity in UK waters. Rapid progress is required, to deliver the EU SET Plan target of 6 GW deployment of tidal stream by 2050.
• Wave energy has significant potential, with an estimated exploitable resource of 25 GW in the UK. Deployment of 12 GW of wave and tidal stream by 2050 could add £40 billion GVA to the UK economy and reduce energy balancing costs by £1 billion annually. Investment in innovation over the next decade is crucial to achieving this potential.

Professor Tim Stallard said: “The ORE Outlook 2040 report highlights the high potential for Offshore Renewable Energy sources to contribute to the UK meeting its Net Zero goals. The growth required cannot be realised by upscaling current approaches alone and urgent action is needed to accelerate innovation and deployment.”

The report also explores ORE development through lenses of planning and consenting, people, supply chain, and infrastructure and grid. Investment in research and innovation is highlighted as crucial to de-risking new technologies, reducing costs, improving performance and ensuring the UK retains its technological leadership on the global stage.

The Supergen ORE Hub, established by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), aims to deliver strategic and coordinated research on sustainable power generation and supply.

The Albany M4 project, led by Professor Christophe Gaudin and Dr. Hugh Wolgamot, and coordinated by Dr. Wiebke Eberling of the University of Western Australia, aims to explore the potential of wave energy to support local decarbonisation efforts along Australia’s Great Southern coast. The launch is a quarter-scale demonstration model designed specifically for this application and will absorb 1-10kW in the target sea-states. Sensors on the model will provide real-time data on energy production and performance.

The M4 project is fully open-access with all data collected during the device’s deployment being made available to scientists, developers, and the public. By making the performance data accessible to all, the project aims to drive further innovation in renewable energy.

The M4, or Moored Multi-Mode Multibody, is an innovative surface-riding wave energy converter consisting of multiple floats, connected by beams, in a 1-2-1 float arrangement for the Albany tests. The middle floats each support a hinge, and relative rotation between the bow and stern floats, due to the movement of the waves, creates power in a generator. It uses a single mooring point that allows the M4 to naturally turn and face the waves for better energy capture.

The M4 highlights �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s leading role in renewable energy innovation and has been developed over the past decade with support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the European Union. British Maritime Technology (BMT) was responsible for the structural and mooring design for Albany, while the power take-off (PTO) design was led by Dr Judith Apsley from The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and further developed with the support of Dr Nuwantha Fernando at RMIT University, Melbourne.

The launch, funded with 4.8 million AUD from the WA state government and the Blue Economy Cooporative Research Centre, with similar in-kind contributions, also showcases the wider benefits of emerging renewable technologies, with six local contractors and manufacturers contributing to the building, assembling, deploying, and decommissioning of the device in Albany.

The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Hydrodynamics Lab played a key role in the development of the M4. Located in the heart of Manchester, this state-of-the-art facility allows researchers to simulate ocean conditions and test renewable energy designs. 

Professor Peter Stansby highlighted its importance, stating: “The Hydrodynamics Lab is vital for advancing renewable energy research. While computational modelling provides valuable predictions, experimental validation is essential for understanding and optimising complex systems.”

For more information about The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s contributions to offshore renewable energy systems visit our webpage.

This ambitious project funded through Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Beta Phase, a competition ran by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Ofgem, is part of an initiative designed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the UK’s power grid. 

With £2.4 million in new funding for The University of Manchester, the research will build on ’s work for SF₆-free retrofill intervention techniques that could supplant SF₆ without having to replace or significantly modify existing SF₆-designed equipment. These investigations, in partnership with NGET, were named ‘Best Innovation in Net Zero and Sustainability’ at the 2022’s E&T Innovation Awards.  

This project will be led by Dr Tony Chen, Reader in High Voltage Engineering in �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He will be joined by , Professor in Chemical Engineering, and , Professor in Artificial Intelligence.  

The impact of this project is expected to be wide-ranging and could lead to significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. 

The project will further develop aspects of SF₆ management based on findings in its alpha phase and will explore the challenges and opportunities in SF₆ replacement and management.  

The projects areas of focus include comparing different intervention strategies, developing energy-efficient methods for disposing SF₆, modelling of SF₆ leakage from switchgear equipment to better inform asset management strategy, and studying alternative gas blends that could replace SF₆ in the longer term through retrofill intervention. These efforts are expected to lead to significant technological advancements, providing solutions that could be applied to other sectors that use SF₆, such as high-voltage particle accelerators and future electrified transportation systems. 

This initiative could make a substantial contribution to the UK’s carbon reduction targets. If successful, its strategies for extending the lifespan of industry assets would also ensure a more reliable operation, lead to lower energy bills for consumers, and reduce the overall costs of running the national electricity network.  

By working with policymakers, industry leaders, and international standards bodies, the 91ֱ�� team are aiming to shape global regulations, continuing to position the UK as a leader in sustainable energy solutions. Their vital research could make a significant contribution to world-wide efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector, helping to close the gap between an unsustainable present and a more sustainable future. 

The £5.5 million project, funded by Horizon Europe and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), will involve a four-year collaboration between 91ֱ�� and academic and industry experts from ETH Zurich, the University of Vienna, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, NKT Cable Group, Shell Research Ltd, S&B Insurance Advisors, and Arttic Innovation. This initiative aims to develop the enabling technology that supports a sustainable European electricity grid. 

Named DCDYNAMIC (Accelerating DC Dynamic Export Cable Technology for a Sustainable European Electricity Grid), the project will consist of three distinct parts. Firstly, understanding how electrical, mechanical, and thermal stresses impact these cables; secondly how to create real-world conditions for reliable testing; and thirdly, construction of a 320 kV high-voltage DC cable prototype, tested at scale using the simulated conditions created through the project. 

DCDYNAMIC will be led by , Reader in High Voltage Engineering in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, which houses the UK’s largest academic electrical test and research facility, the . He will be joined by , Professor of Materials Science and Chief Scientist at the , the UK’s national institute for material innovation; and , Reader in Nanomaterials based at the  

DCDYNAMIC is one of the earliest Horizon Europe projects since the UK re-joined, with a UK university serving as the lead coordinator. 

Project lead, Dr Tony Chen, said: “Being granted European Commission funding as the project coordinator on this scale demonstrates the competitiveness of UK institutions.”  

Home to over 2000 wind farms, and with the largest offshore wind capacity in the world, wind power already plays a leading part in the UK’s energy landscape. This offshore resource provides a range of advantages over its onshore equivalent; farms can be built at a greater scale (the UK currently has the biggest offshore wind farm in the world, Hornsea 1 near the Yorkshire coast), winds are higher and more consistent, and any visual impact concerns are significantly reduced.   

The Nile is one of the longest rivers globally and spreads over 11 countries in East Africa, supplying water, energy production, environmental quality and cultural wealth. However, the use of Nile resources has been a long-standing source of tension, often overshadowing opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit.

But as the demand for energy, water, and food in Africa is steadily increasing, the study, led by The University of Manchester in collaboration with regional organisations, offers a glimmer of hope at a resolution.

The research, published today in the journal , moves away from traditional water-centric agreements, and presents a detailed simulation of the combined energy-water system to reveal how different scenarios of international energy trades could help alleviate the Nile water conflict.

First author Dr Mikiyas Etichia from The University of Manchester, said: “Traditionally, water disputes in transboundary river basins like the Nile have been approached through a water-centric viewpoint. However, sharing benefits of water resources, such as hydro-generated electricity, crops and fisheries can result in a win-win situation.”

Co-author Dr Mohammed Basheer, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, added: “In the Nile Basin, energy-river basin benefit-sharing projects have been implemented in the past at a small scale, but detailed tools like the one presented in the paper can help create actionable large-scale proposals.”

At the heart of the dispute lies the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) - a large dam on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia constructed to improve Ethiopia's electricity access and to export electricity to neighbouring countries. The project sparked tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt over water rights and access.

The simulator, designed by the scientists using open-source technology, covers 13 East African countries, including those within the Nile Basin, to model potential energy trade agreements between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt.

By increasing electricity trade, countries can simultaneously address water deficits, boost hydropower generation, reduce energy curtailment, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Corresponding author from The University of Manchester, said: “The energy trades tested in this study provide the countries a range of solutions that are likely in their national interest.

“The study highlights the value of detailed multisector simulation to unpick the complex interdependencies of large multi-country resource systems. Implementation of the arrangements proposed here would need to be further assessed from governance and legal perspectives to become viable proposals. If successful, they could contribute to sustainable resource management and regional stability.

“We are hopeful the new analytical tools or their results will be taken up by the negotiating parties.”

Common informal recycling activities for lead-acid batteries used in solar energy systems were recorded to release 3.5-4.7 kg of lead pollution from a typical battery, which is equivalent to more than 100 times the lethal oral dose of lead for an adult.

Off-grid solar technologies are used to provide power to areas lacking traditional grid connections and are crucial for expanding electricity access across sub-Saharan Africa. The private market for off-grid solar electrification technologies is expected to provide electricity access to hundreds of millions of people by 2030, subsidized by global energy companies in the Global North, including the UK. Meanwhile, household scale off-grid solar energy systems in sub-Saharan Africa mostly depend on lead-acid batteries as the most affordable and established energy storage technology.

But the scientists warn that the absence of formal waste management infrastructure presents major human health and environmental risks and urge government intervention immediately.

This research, published today in the journal , was led by Dr Christopher Kinally for his PhD at The University of Manchester, funded by EPSRC.

Dr Kinally said: “The private market for off-grid solar products is a very effective way to increase access to electricity, which is crucial for sustainable development. However, the resulting toxic waste flow is growing rapidly across regions that do not have the infrastructure to safely manage electronic waste.

“Without developing infrastructure, legislation and education around these technologies, there are severe public health risks. Significant social, economic and legislative interventions are required for these solar products to be considered as a safe, low-carbon technology in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Toxic informal waste management practices are known to be common for automotive batteries and electronic waste in low- and middle-income countries, but the environmental and health impacts of these practices have been widely overlooked. Now, efforts to promote sustainable development and electricity access are adding to these life-threatening waste streams.

Dr Kinally recorded that within suburban communities in Malawi, lead-acid batteries from solar energy systems are being refurbished openly on busy market streets by self-taught technicians, who are not aware of the toxicity of the materials they are handling.

He found that batteries are broken open with machetes, lead is melted over charcoal cooking stoves, and improvised lead battery cells are made by hand. In the process, approximately half of the lead content from each battery is leaked into the surrounding environment, releasing the equivalent of more than 100 lethal oral lead doses from a single battery into densely populated communities. 

This is the first data to quantify lead pollution from the informal recycling of lead-acid batteries from solar energy systems.  

Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid, primary supervisor of the PhD and Senior Lecturer in Circular Economy and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment at The University of Manchester, added: “The problem is not the use a renewable source like solar energy, but the lack of appropriate treatment of the batteries at the end of life. We urgently need further research to reveal the health impacts of the identified flows of toxic pollution from solar batteries.”

Lead is a potent neurotoxin, and very low levels of lead exposure is known to permanently impact a child’s brain development. UNICEF have estimated that 800 million children across low- and middle-income countries have lead poisoning.

This widespread lead pollution is largely driven by improperly managed automotive battery waste and is expected to have substantial health and economic impacts across the Global South yet continues to be overlooked.  

Prior publications from the research team also highlight that the private off-grid solar market suffers from a general lack of supplier accountability and substandard, short-lived and counterfeit off-grid solar products were found to be common in Malawi, exploiting vulnerable energy-poor populations.

A lack of education about how to build and use these solar energy systems, which are particularly vulnerable to damage from improper use, is also severely limiting the lifetimes of batteries in off-grid solar energy systems.

Batteries in Malawi were recorded to often fail within a year, far shorter than the 3-5 year expected lifetime, accelerating the toxic waste flow. Meanwhile, the environmental impacts (including carbon emissions) from manufacturing and replacing short lived lead-acid batteries is compromising the sustainability and environmental benefits of solar energy systems.

Dr Fernando Antoñanzas, co-supervisor of the PhD, added: “This study brings more light on the maintenance and end-of-life phases of small off-grid solar projects, indeed left unattended in most cooperation projects. While informal lead-acid battery recycling offers a short-term solution for electrification for the poorest, at the same time, represents an enormous public health risk across Sub-Saharan Africa."

The research team has also provided policy recommendations for waste management solutions, including changes to how solar energy companies receive investments from the UK and Global North.

The research will deliver a method to produce enriched lithium in the quantities needed to make breeder blankets for deuterium-tritium fusion reactors. This allows tritium, which is an extremely scarce resource, to be produced inside the reactor. Thereby solving the challenge of how to fuel fusion reactors.

Dr Kathryn George will lead the project in collaboration with Prof Philip Martin, Prof Clint Sharrad and Dr Laurence Stamford from The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Chemical Engineering department, Prof Bruce Hanson at the University of Leeds and Global Nuclear Security Partners Ltd. 

UKAEA launched the new Fusion Industry Programme challenge ‘Realising the potential of lithium in an economic, sustainable and scalable fusion energy fuel-cycle’ in early 2023, encouraging organisations to develop and evaluate prototypes of lithium technology.

In total, five organisations have secured six contracts worth £7.4m in total with UKAEA to develop lithium technology for fusion energy. The four universities and one company have received contracts ranging between £700,000 and £1.5m from UKAEA’s ‘Fusion Industry Programme’.

Tim Bestwick, UKAEA’s Chief Development Officer, said: “Fusion energy continues to feature on the world stage, with recent commitments being made at COP28 to develop fusion as a sustainable, low carbon source of energy for future generations.

“The Fusion Industry Programme is encouraging the development of UK industrial fusion capacity and preparing the UK fusion industry for the future global fusion power plant market.

“The organisations that have been awarded these contracts have successfully demonstrated their lithium technology concepts and will now develop them to the ‘proof of concept’ stage.”

The latest contracts follow the award of Fusion Industry Programme contracts earlier in 2023, focused on digital engineering and fusion fuel requirements, and more recently materials and manufacturing, and heating and cooling technologies.

The Chancellor visited the High Voltage Lab – the largest university high voltage laboratory in the UK - where he was given a guided tour by Ian Cotton, Professor of High Voltage Technology, to showcase the University’s work in the areas of operation, planning and analysis of energy networks.

The tour started with a demonstration of the Lab’s 2MV impulse generator, which allows researchers to stress test equipment used on the grid by creating real-life lightning voltages. He then moved on to discuss the work of the lab, addressing three critical issues:

• Fast-tracking network upgrades by developing and testing new, innovative technologies ready for deployment onto the live electricity networks.
• Ensuring the power system is ready to transfer increased amounts of generation from new, renewable sources like wave power.
• Making the grid secure and ensuring the UK has access to reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy.

The Chancellor also had the chance to chat to a number of PhD students, whose work is also actively contributing to the reform of the system and find out how the University is contributing to the skills pipeline integral for the future of the power network.

In a closed-door meeting, energy experts at the University got the chance to ask the Chancellor questions and share their feedback about the government’s plans for the power network, including putting forward their own ideas for the future.

, Professor of High Voltage Technology at The University of Manchester, said: “It was a pleasure to host the Chancellor at the High Voltage Lab to showcase the work we are doing to solve the real-world challenges associated with ensuring the grid is ready to transfer the increased amounts of electrical energy we need to deliver net-zero.

“We really enjoyed sharing our unique skills, knowledge and equipment that we use to solve these problems and show how we are training a new generation of engineers to transform our energy system.

“The visit provided an invaluable opportunity to engage in insightful discussions regarding the Government's latest initiatives aimed at reforming the UK’s power network.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, added: “We are committed to transforming the Great British electricity network. The changes announced at Autumn Statement make it quicker and easier to build new infrastructure and could bring in upwards of £90 billion of global investment.

“Cutting edge facilities at our world-beating universities, such as the fantastic High Voltage Lab, will be at the forefront of this effort, leading the charge on the UK’s transition to Net Zero.”

The High Voltage Lab at The University of Manchester is the largest electrical infrastructure test and research facility in UK academia. From the £9m lab, researchers collaborate with small businesses, large industry organisations and governments worldwide, sharing skills, knowledge and equipment to solve critical, real-world problems.

The lab uses the very latest equipment, capable of testing components that will be used on 400 kV power systems, enabling researchers to find new ways to innovate at pace.

The University is home to the largest power and energy system group in the UK, training 300 electrical engineers a year and supporting 150 PhD researchers in electrical power ensuring a new generation of engineers skilled to transform our energy system.

,  Senior Lecturer in Electric and Electronic Engineering, said: “The High Voltage Lab and our expertise plays a major part in the technology, innovation and skills supply chain needed for our net zero future.  From finding innovative ways to maintain the thousands of pylons across the grid, to de-risking superconductors for future power transmission, we work on a range of projects at all technology readiness levels to make sure we maximise the potential of both the equipment and our research expertise, to accelerate the development of our future electrical network.”

Find out more about the and .

By James Mason, Visiting Academic in Decarbonisation;  Alice Larkin, Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy;  and Simon Bullock, Research Associate, Shipping and Climate Change.

In the vast expanse of the world’s oceans, a transformation is underway.

The international shipping sector, made up of thousands of massive cargo ships laden with many of the goods we buy, emits carbon dioxide (CO₂) roughly equivalent to the entire country of .

Our emphasises the need for immediate action. Reducing shipping emissions by 34% by 2030 is necessary to stay on course with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal. But with low-carbon fuel pipelines unlikely to be at the necessary scale until at least the 2030s, how can the industry meet its short-term target?

Enter a new solution with ancient origins: sails. Not the billowing canvases of centuries past but high-tech systems capable of harnessing renewable wind energy to supplement the propulsion from a ship’s engine.

A number of advanced sail designs are gaining the attention of shipping firms. Two contenders include Flettner rotors, cylinders that spin to generate propulsion, and “wingsails”, which resemble aeroplane wings and are derived from designs used in yacht racing.

Wingsails, analogous to aeroplane wings, provide lift on either side. Smart Green Shipping,

Wind propulsion allows ships to use less fuel and so emit less greenhouse gas. However, in our , we found that the real opportunity to slash emissions from shipping this decade lies in combining sails with optimal routes plotted by satellite navigation systems.

An old idea with new technology

Optimised routing is a familiar concept to most of us. You’ll have used it by typing a destination into Google Maps and allowing its algorithms to calculate the quickest way for you to arrive at your destination.

The process is similar for ships. But instead of finding the quickest journey, the software models the ship’s performance in water to calculate routes and speeds that minimise fuel use.

With optimised routing and sails, ships can deviate from their standard course to seek out favourable winds. The ship may travel a longer distance but the extra power gained by the sails limits the ship’s fuel consumption and reduces the total emissions over the full journey. The software only suggests routes that guarantee the same arrival time, keeping the ship to its original schedule.

We used a computer model simulation of a cargo vessel with four sails, each taller than Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue at 35 meters high. By calculating the fuel consumption of this large bulk carrier ship on over 100,000 journeys spanning four years and covering 14 shipping routes worldwide, we found that sails can cut annual carbon emissions by around 10%.

The true promise of sails unfolds when optimal routing is used, increasing annual emission cuts to 17%.

Routes with ideal wind conditions have even greater potential. The most promising are typically those far from the equator, such as transatlantic and transpacific crossings, where strong winds can fill large sails. By taking advantage of wind patterns moving across the ocean on these routes, sails and optimised routing can cut annual emissions by over 30%.

Take the journey between the UK and the US as an example. A ship setting out on this voyage will typically experience strong headwinds which generate drag and push the ship backwards, meaning more fuel must be burned to maintain the same forward momentum. But by using sails and optimised routing software on this crossing, ships can avoid these headwinds and steer into more favourable winds.

Flettner rotors are smooth cylinders with discs that spin as wind passes at right angles across it. Norsepower,

On the return journey, the ship would typically experience strong winds from behind and the side, which would fill the sails and push the ship on. With optimised routing software the ship can find even stronger winds and fine-tune its direction for the sails to maximise propulsion.

Keeping the 1.5°C target afloat

The International Maritime Organization (the UN agency responsible for environmental regulation in shipping) has a of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20%-30% by 2030. The Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target .

Our research shows that cuts to CO₂ of this magnitude are possible this decade using wind propulsion and optimised routing on promising routes. Achieving this will oblige the shipping industry to deploy existing technologies and practices and shift its focus from fuel alone, as will take longer to develop.

As we sail further into the 21st century, our research delivers a clear message to the shipping industry: substantial carbon reductions are feasible this decade. Here is an old idea, one that integrates technology with tradition, that can steer international shipping towards its climate goals.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

A new special feature published today (November 21), in the (PNAS), which was guest edited by researchers from The University of Manchester, the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW), and Harvard University, presents new findings about transitions in electricity, food and mobility systems.

These findings synthesise, elaborate and apply research on sustainability transitions, which has progressed significantly over the past decade, generating novel insights about the dynamics of transitions. This research shifts the focus from sustainability goals and targets to the real-world change processes that could help to meet those targets. The special feature contains 15 articles that present new insights on transitions to a wider sustainability science audience, policymakers, and practitioners.

Large-scale, long-term changes of systems needed

“The central challenge of our age is how to make development sustainable – to assure that it advances people’s well-being in the here and now without unfairly constraining the ability of people elsewhere, or in the future, to advance their own well-being”, says William Clark, professor at Harvard University and director of its Sustainability Science Program. “That requires transitions, by which we mean significant large-scale, long-term changes in the actors, institutions, technologies, and resources that make up consumption-production systems.” The papers in the special feature analyse these changes for electricity, mobility, and food systems. In addition, they address crosscutting issues such as the destabilisation of existing systems, the role of shocks, and the governance of transitions.

Core aspects of transitions research: multi-level interactions, solutions, process of change

“This special feature makes three contributions to the pursuit of sustainability: highlighting the importance of multi-level interactions in sustainability transitions, a focus on solutions (innovation), and a deeper and more differentiated analysis of the processes of change”, explains , professor of sustainability transitions at The University of Manchester. “It is interesting to see that transitions in the electricity, mobility and food systems are currently unfolding at different speed and depth. This is due to different techno-economic developments and socio-political activities. They have progressed farthest in the electricity system. In the (auto)mobility system they are beginning to unfold, and in food systems they appear to be in early phases.”

The papers demonstrate the multi-dimensional nature of sustainability transition processes which cannot be reduced to purely technological or economic explanations. Instead, they show the importance of understanding sustainability transitions as multi-level, systemic, incomplete, and contested processes, in which innovation plays an essential role that is always shaped by and contributing to social, political, economic, and cultural developments.

Deeper transitions are slower

“One of the important findings from across the special feature is that transitions are often about reconfiguration rather than substitution of existing systems, and that there are tensions between depth and speed of change: the deeper a change, the more difficult and slower it tends to be. It is also important to recognise that the governance of transitions is highly political and can be very politicised. There are winners and losers”, states Florian Kern, transitions researcher at the Berlin-based Institute for Ecological Economy Research. “While recognising various complexities, the special feature also shows how transition processes can be accelerated and steered in more sustainable directions. This is crucial, because historical transitions were often slow, decade-long processes, while time is pressing for the polycrises of the present.”

The Special Feature on ‘Sustainability transitions in consumption-production systems’ in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is published open access and can be found here: . 

 

The purpose of the consortium will be to provide Sellafield Ltd with technical support as it delivers its long-term objectives of safely inspecting and decommissioning their facilities using remote technologies.

Sellafield Ltd have made considerable progress with the deployment of robots to address challenges on its site. However, there are many challenges that remain, many of which cannot be solved using currently available commercial technologies.

The academic consortium will be led by Professor Barry Lennox and Dr Simon Watson at The University of Manchester and supported by groups at The University of Bristol, led by Professor Tom Scott, and The University of Oxford, led by Professor Nick Hawes. Sellafield Ltd’s engagement with the academic consortium will be led by its Robotics and Manufacturing Lead, Dr Melissa Willis.

Melissa Willis, Robotics and Manufacturing Research Lead at Sellafield Ltd, added: “We are excited by the opportunities that this consortium provides us with and are confident that their technical expertise will help us to deliver the benefits that robotics technology offers us on the Sellafield site.”

The consortium has considerable experience of working with Sellafield Ltd, having all been involved in the RAIN (Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear) hub, and more recently The University of Manchester has provided the academic leadership for the Robotics and AI Collaboration (RAICo) in Cumbria.

Experience of the consortium includes the design, development and deployment of mobile robots in a range of air, land and aquatic environments in the UK and overseas.

Working collaboratively with Sellafield Ltd, researchers at The University of Manchester developed AVEXIS, which can be deployed into aquatic facilities with access ports as small as 150 mm and collect visual and radiometric data. The commercial version of AVEXIS was the first robot to be deployed into Sellafield’s Magnox Swarf Storage Silos and its use at Fukushima Daiichi has been explored.

The University of Oxford’s Robotics Institute (ORI) have developed a range of mapping and mission planning technologies that can be used by robots, such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot to autonomously monitor facilities and identify unexpected changes.

Using quadrotor and fixed wing vehicles, the University of Bristol have developed technology able to map radioactivity levels over large areas of land. The technology has been deployed successfully in the UK and overseas, with the image showing a radiation dose map generated over the Red Forest area of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine, with the orange/red areas showing regions of elevated gamma dose rates.

Funded by UK Research and Innovation, the energy research centres will boost knowledge, create innovative green technologies and reduce demand for energy to achieve greener, cleaner, domestic, industrial and transport energy systems. 

The University of Manchester researchers will partner with academics across the UK in four specialist research hubs, designed to address key challenges in the energy transition. 

The four hubs are: 

A new Energy Demand Research Centre, which will build an evidence base for understanding consumer behaviour, assessing the impact of socio-technical energy demand reduction measures, and research mechanisms to improve energy efficiency. The centre will draw on expertise from The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s , a global authority on energy poverty, justice and equity, to investigate how domestic, industrial and transport energy demand reduction can be delivered on a local and national level across the UK. The centre has been awarded £15 million from the Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).  

A £10 million ESPRC-funded HI-ACT Hub, which will see The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Professor Aoife Foley, Chair in Net Zero, help evaluate routes to effective integration of hydrogen into the wider energy landscape, addressing interactions with electricity, natural gas, heat, and transport. By considering a whole systems perspective, the research shall identify where hydrogen offers most value. 

The Supergen Energy Networks Impact Hub, which will investigate the modernisation of energy transmission and distribution systems to make them a driving force towards a rapid, safe, and just transition to net zero. The Hub will be led by Professor Phil Taylor at the University of Bristol, supported by The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s as Deputy Director and and as co-directors.   

The Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Impact Hub, which will deliver research to accelerate the impact of current generation and future ORE devices and systems and support the UK’s ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Researchers will focus on innovation and new technologies in wave, tidal, and offshore wind power. As co-director, will lead the work stream titled “ORE Modelling”, with activities supported at The University of Manchester by two Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Fellows – and – and Research Fellow . 

Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive of UKRI, said: “The government has set a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, requiring rapid decarbonisation of our energy systems. UKRI is leveraging its ability to work across disciplines to support this ambition through a major portfolio of investments that will catalyse innovation and new green energy systems.  

“The funding announced today will support researchers and innovators to develop game changing ideas to improve domestic, industrial and transport energy systems.” 

Dr Robin Preece, Reader in Future Power System at The University of Manchester and Deputy Director of The Supergen Energy Networks Impact Hub added: “Given the need to rapidly reduce carbon emissions, making sure our work at The University of Manchester catalyses innovation and creates new technologies is paramount. By collaborating with specialists across partner universities through these hubs, we can help develop pioneering ideas that addresses critical, real world challenges.” 

With the support of energy experts, The University of Manchester, is committed to delivering an equitable and prosperous net zero energy future. By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the University’s research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience and equality.

, specifically part of the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), also involves five world-leading industrial partners in the area of engineering for sustainable development: , , , and .

The RECYCLE project (REthinking low Carbon hYdrogen production by Chemical Looping rEforming) will construct and test a fully integrated innovative hydrogen production pilot unit at The University of Manchester. 

The technology is based on chemical looping reforming using fixed bed reactors which allow modular units and cost-effective solutions for hydrogen production using different feedstocks, with inherent carbon dioxide capture and separation at high purity. 

The final demonstration is planned for the second half of 2024 in the pilot area of the at The University of Manchester.

The UK is leading the industrial revolution to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In the recently published , the UK government is expecting to have two gigawatts of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity in operation or construction by 2025 and 10 gigawatts in 2030, subject to affordability and value for money. In this context, the RECYCLE project in 91ֱ�� represents an opportunity to to show continued innovation in the development of resilient and cost effective solutions for a low carbon future.

Dr Vincenzo Spallina, Senior Lecturer at The University of Manchester and Principal Investigator of the RECYCLE project, said: “The carried out during Phase 1 demonstrated great potential for low carbon hydrogen in the UK market and it has huge implications for several industrial stakeholders. This project will demonstrate its feasibility at a pre-commercial scale to increase awareness of the next steps towards commercial implementation.  

“The demonstration plant will be installed in the James Chadwick Building where we are currently renovating the existing pilot hall area to establish the for Research and Innovation on sustainable process technologies. Our students will have the fantastic opportunity to see the next-generation hydrogen plant in operation as a unique teaching and learning experience. “

Professor Alice Larkin, Head of the School of Engineering at The University of Manchester, added: “Our University is committed to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2038 as part of its and supported by activity through our  Advanced Materials and Energy research beacons. This collaborative project will boost the prestige of our academic community to secure clean and sustainable development through Science and Innovation in close partnerships with industries."

Silvian Baltac, Associate Partner and Industrial Decarbonisation lead at Element Energy, an ERM Group company, said: “We are delighted to continue supporting the University of Manchester and the RECYCLE Consortium with the Phase II of the project. Element Energy, a leading low-carbon consultancy, will help develop the go-to-market strategy for the RECYCLE technology, as well as support the Consortium with strategic communications and engagement, ensuring learnings from the project are disseminated with industry, academia, and the wider energy sector.”

Mark Wickham, CEO of HELICAL ENERGY, commented: “Our business is fully committed to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2038, by helping to develop and build neutral and negative carbon emissions technologies. This exciting collaborative project with the University of Manchester and industry partners will broaden our knowledge and experience in translational energy and build upon the work we are currently doing with other universities on carbon capture and hydrogen from biogenic fuels. RECYCLE is a fantastic innovative project that will make a significant contribution to carbon neutrality."

Les Newman, Engineering & Consulting Managing Director at Kent, said: “We are delighted to be part of this cutting-edge project.  It is aligned with Kent’s purpose to be a catalyst for energy transition and an exciting addition to our blue hydrogen project portfolio.  We look forward to working with the University of Manchester and the consortium partners to advance the progress of this novel low-carbon hydrogen and carbon capture technology."

Suzanne Ellis, Innovation Director for Catalyst Technologies at Johnson Matthey, said: “Johnson Matthey works with partners around the world to apply our expertise in synthesis gas, process technology and catalysis to enable a transition to a net zero future. We are delighted to be part of this consortium led by University of Manchester, exploring the potential for this promising next generation technology to be moved through to industrial impact, whilst also inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.”

Hugues Foucault, CO₂ Capture R&D manager from TotalEnergies, said: “TotalEnergies  is supporting R&D in the Chemical Looping Combustion technology and it is involved in the Phase 2 of the RECYCLE project to technically and economically assess this process of blue hydrogen production with inherent carbon dioxide capture."

Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said: “Hydrogen, known as the super fuel of the future, is critical to delivering UK energy security and clean, sustainable growth. 

“I’m delighted that we have awarded funding to The University of Manchester so that they can build and test their first-of-a-kind hydrogen technology. This will generate opportunities for UK businesses to export their expertise around the world whilst supporting our ambition to have amongst the cheapest energy in Europe.”

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provides dedicated leadership focused on delivering security of energy supply, ensuring properly functioning markets, greater energy efficiency and seizing the opportunities of net zero to lead the world in new green industries.

The funding from the Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply 2 programme comes from the  department’s  £1 billion , which provides funding for low-carbon technologies and systems and aims to decrease the costs of decarbonisation helping enable the UK to end its contribution to climate change.

The ambitious innovation projects will provide critical insight and research to help inform the future development of a net zero energy system at the same time as delivering significant benefits to consumers. 

National Grid Electricity Transmission has been awarded £396,000 to fund the following projects, in which 91ֱ�� will be playing a vital role: 

• Superconductor OHLs: This project will investigate technology to increase power flow capability on existing overhead lines. Novel high temperature superconductor (HTS) technology could be implemented on existing lines, increasing power flow capability up to ten-fold at the same voltage level.  
• SF6 replacement strategy: Development of a long-term strategy to expedite the efficient rollout of SF6 replacements and remove the gas from the network at minimum cost to the consumer, with new builds and retro filling options considered across different asset profiles.  
• WELLNESS: A project to assess whole energy system resilience and develop a framework suited to the energy transition whilst protecting consumers – ensuring the network is reliable to known and credible threats, but also resilient to less frequent but more extreme disasters.  

Dr Vidyadhar Peesapati at The University of Manchester said: “The SIF programme provides a unique opportunity for us to continue our engagement with National Grid, in evaluating and de-risking a range innovations and solutions that will expedite the transition to net zero.” 

Nicola Todd, Head of Strategy and Innovation at National Grid Electricity Transmission, added: “It’s great to see National Grid leading the way with the sort of ambitious thinking needed to tackle some of the biggest challenges in energy. This funding will help drive progress on a raft of innovative projects, from new technologies to boost network capacity, to how we reduce our dependency on the greenhouse gas SF₆. 

“Work on these initiatives is helping to shape the future of Britain’s energy networks and accelerating the transition to net zero, at lowest cost to consumers.” 

At 91ֱ��, our energy experts are committed to delivering an equitable and prosperous net zero energy future. By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the university’s research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience and equality. 

Full details of the funding for Ofgem’s SIF scheme, which is managed in partnership with Innovate UK, can be found on its website at:  

National Grid and The University of Manchester are working together to develop a new drone-mountable system that will allow live inspections of overhead transmission line insulators using electric field (e-field) sensor technology.

The three-year, £1.1 million innovation project, funded by Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance (NIA), aims to deliver an airborne system that can carry out real-time monitoring of the condition of high voltage insulators, which could save time and cost compared with traditional ground patrols.

Insulators are often made of glass or ceramic, and protect pylons from the current on the power line to prevent the tower becoming live. They produce electric fields when in operation which have distinct profiles, which are altered by defects on the insulator.

A purpose built electric field sensor system could be flown by drone near to a pylon to analyse insulators’ e-field profiles and assess their health, without the need for circuit outages, lineworkers scaling pylons, or insulator samples being sent for forensic analysis.

It’s estimated the initiative could save £2.8 million over a 15 year period through cost and resource efficiencies in transmission network monitoring.

The technology will be developed and tested in The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s High Voltage Laboratory, which is equipped with facilities that can test up to 600kV DC, 800kV AC and 2MV impulse, and has been the testbed for developing pioneering solutions such as .

�Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s research will be led by Dr Vidyadhar Peesapati, Sinisa Durovic and of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and of the Department of .

As well as optimising the sensor hardware, the project will create digital twins for a range of insulators to define electric field profiles under different conditions, design algorithms to best assess insulators’ condition, and will re-engineer and miniaturise the tech into a drone-mountable system.

One challenge the project is aiming to overcome is to develop an algorithm to assess insulators’ condition while distinguishing between the effects that pollution and certain failure modes can also have on the electric field.

The project follows a separate NIA-funded project in which National Grid is for visual monitoring of pylons and overhead lines – enabling detailed close-quarter data and imagery of equipment to be captured quickly and sent wirelessly for processing.

Nicola Todd, head of strategy and innovation and National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: “We’re increasingly using drones as part of our activities monitoring the condition of our transmission network, and innovations like this e-field sensing system mean there are even more exciting ways that drones could support us in keeping the grid reliable and safe in the future.

“We look forward to working with �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s experts and test facilities to develop new monitoring tech that will help us keep the network in good health while saving consumers money.”

Dr from The University of Manchester said: “With demand increasing, we need to maximise the resilience of overhead lines, the spine of UK electricity. The ambition of this project helps us address this challenge while moving the UK one step further towards a low carbon future that that ensures reliability and value for the consumer.”

Since 2018, National Grid has invested around £5 billion to upgrade, adapt and maintain the electricity transmission network. It plans to spend £9 billion on the network in the five years to 2026, with further multibillion-pound investments beyond that to 2030 to deliver an affordable, resilient and clean energy system.

As industrial decarbonisation progresses, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure comes online, the wider role of the regional clusters in delivering net zero will come into sharper focus, including the potential to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

‘Integrated Assessment of BECCS in context: environmental, policy, regulatory and social factors’, a cross disciplinary research project led by from Tyndall 91ֱ�� will look at potential BECCS facilities within the North West industrial cluster. Effective use of BECCS depends on a better understanding of many factors across its complex supply chains. This project will ask: what configurations minimise the emissions associated with transporting biomass, CO2 and energy along the supply chain?; what are the policy gaps and uncertainties associated with deploying, regulating and governing BECCS?; and how do local communities view the development of BECCS in their region?

The research will be conducted through a combination of linked desk-based and empirical methods which will bring together spatial modelling, carbon accounting, policy mapping, interviews with stakeholders and a community workshop.

Dr Clair Gough, Senior Research Fellow at Tyndall 91ֱ��, explained: “This project is all about mapping the non-technical challenges to BECCS deployment. By taking a systems-based approach and looking at environmental, policy, regulatory and social factors, this project will identify obstacles, and help pinpoint the solutions for BECCS to play its part in reaching Net Zero in the UK.”

Prof Benjamin K. Sovacool, Research Co-Director IDRIC, University of Sussex: “If we want to achieve near term BECCS deployment, we need to better understand the variables that will affect successful deployment. We need to assess the key social, economic and policy aspects that will determine its realistic impact and Clair’s team will build on the research from Wave 1, and help us understand BECCS in the round.”

This project is one of 20 that will be supported as part of IDRIC’s Wave 2 £6million funding to accelerate decarbonisation of industry. Designed to aid industrial decarbonisation in Scotland, Northwest England, Teesside, Solent, Black Country, Humber, and South Wales, this second wave will fund 20 projects across 14 institutions covering a wide range of technological, environmental, economic, skills and social aspects of decarbonisation.

�Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s , has also been awarded funding by IDRIC’s second wave. Working in collaboration with BGS, Heriot-Watt University and Centrica, she will explore hydrogen storage near industrial clusters using porous rock storage with research in the Humber, Northwest, South Wales and Teesside.

At 91ֱ��, our energy experts are committed to delivering an equitable and prosperous net zero energy future. By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the university’s research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience and equality.

SF₆ is a gas commonly used in the power industry to provide electrical insulation and arc interruption. However, SF₆ is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential that is 25,200 times greater than CO₂.

This award reflects the significant steps taken by 91ֱ�� experts and National Grid to address this issue, closing the gap between an unsustainable present and a more sustainable future.

Celebrating an initial project delivered in 2020, today’s award comes as 91ֱ�� and National Grid confirm their commitment to addressing the challenge. Earlier this year, the team announced a £1.9m project that will see experts at 91ֱ�� help determine how National Grid can develop a retrofill solution to replace SF₆ with an environmentally friendlier alternative – without having to replace or otherwise modify the existing equipment.

This solution – to be demonstrated at National Grid’s test facility the – will mean National Grid can avoid the environmental impact and cost of replacing equipment otherwise fit for many more years’ service.

Together the University and National Grid will create a physical demonstration, complete with an inbuilt condition-based monitoring system, that will focus on the applicability of SF₆ retrofill techniques. It will be developed in �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s High Voltage Research Laboratory, equipped with facilities that can test up to 600 kV DC, 800 kV AC, and 2 MV impulse, and has been the testbed for developing pioneering solutions such as and .

In a separate pilot project last year National Grid and Hitachi Energy developed and deployed a world-first solution at Richborough substation in Kent to replace SF₆ with a greener alternative, marking a key step in National Grid’s ambition to reduce its SF₆ emissions by 50% by 2030.

Nicola Todd, head of strategy and innovation at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: “This is a proud moment for the teams involved and is testament to the combined expertise and innovation capability of National Grid and The University of Manchester colleagues on this project. The initiative is deepening our understanding of SF₆ retrofill solutions, and could boost our progress in the decarbonisation of the grid while achieving a significant cost benefit for consumers.”

Energy is one of The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s five research beacons, examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. This project reflects the commitment of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s energy experts in delivering a just and prosperous Net Zero energy future.

By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the 91ֱ�� research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience, and equality.

National Grid’s Deeside Centre for Innovation in North Wales is the first of its kind in Europe, where electricity network assets can be tested under real life conditions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The facility provides a controlled test and demonstration environment to collect data, including a high voltage substation and overhead line test area simulating real network conditions.

from the Tyndall Centre at The University of Manchester has highlighted the major role the shipping sector will play in transporting the green fuels necessary to meet global climate goals. But it found a yawning gap between announced government led projects and what is required, calling for the creation of far stronger national policies on low-carbon fuels. The report is being officially discussed at this year's UN climate conference, COP 27.

The report’s authors identify growth in low-carbon hydrogen and sustainable bioenergy as essential to meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s goals. But they found that a lack of enabling policies from governments, such as guaranteeing markets and prices for producers and consumers, was holding back investment in the shipping infrastructure needed to support the global energy transition.

The world needs 50-150 million tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen by 2030, but there is a major gap between this and what is planned to date: already-announced projects will only produce 24 million tonnes by 2030, according to the International Energy Authority. Worryingly, only 4% of these projects have a final investment decision. The Tyndall Centre called for stronger Government policies to give low-carbon hydrogen producers, shippers and consumers the confidence they need to invest.

Report co-author Professor Alice Larkin said: “New green fuels are essential to meet the Paris climate goals, and there is a pivotal role for the shipping sector in transporting them. But production of green fuels must be scaled up - there is a yawning gap between current plans and what is needed to meet the Paris goals.”

The report identifies a major role for the shipping sector in this global energy transition, transporting bioenergy, and hydrogen converted into ammonia. It found that the sea-transport of ammonia and bioenergy in the coming decades could match shipments of gas and coal today. However, this would require around 20 large new ammonia carriers a year, to link green hydrogen producers with consumers.

Given the 2–3-year timeline for constructing new vessels, shipping industry representatives said they needed certainty on hydrogen production as soon as possible to be able to justify the necessary investments in new infrastructure. The report was commissioned and welcomed by the International Chamber of shipping and called on governments attending to send “stronger market signals” to the shipping industry to reduce fears that any new ships built to transport low-carbon fuels would never be used.

The Tyndall Centre’s report identified several potential considerations for government policy to increase their effectiveness at enabling investment. These include introducing mandates for increasing percentages of green hydrogen, creating ‘production credits’ for the production of hydrogen, or providing guaranteed markets and prices for producers and consumers. Such measures are already being trialled in the USA, Germany, and India.

Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping said: “The shipping industry knows it has a huge part to play in global decarbonisation in the coming decades, transporting the new green fuels the world’s economy needs. But for us to invest, governments need far stronger policies to de-risk green hydrogen production.

“National Hydrogen strategies must include an explicit focus on supporting the transport infrastructure needed for both imports and exports. Industry is ready to respond but we urgently need stronger market signals and infrastructure investment to make this a reality.”

The full report is available via Tyndall 91ֱ�� -

This project will develop and validate a novel and inexpensive game-changing hydrogen separation technique that builds upon Powerhouse Energy's expertise in waste treatment and the international track-record of Dr Amir Keshmiri’s in fluid dynamics and thermochemical analysis.

This potential breakthrough in advanced thermal treatment to recover hydrogen from unrecyclable wastes could make a significant contribution to the UK’s net zero targets and reduce project costs compared to existing recovery methods - also, as well as being ”greener and cheaper”, this new technology would be an important asset to help secure UK energy security at a time of major crisis and uncertainly.  

The rapid development and commercialisation of the invention, that the collaboration will directly support achieving the installed capacity target by 2030.

The project, which is initially funded by the grant, effectively encourages the swifter adoption of local, cleaner, low carbon energy - while addressing a growing unrecyclable waste issue, working within the existing waste hierarchy framework.

Mr Paul Emmitt, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director at Powerhouse Energy (PHE), said the project will allow PHE to edge closer to overcoming significant cost barriers through innovation to deliver the next generation of cleaner energy technology. The pioneering technique, once commercialised, will enable the faster rollout of inexpensive hydrogen.

He added: “The invention has the potential to overcome a significant cost prohibitive factor for commercial hydrogen extraction from Syngas [ie synthesis gas, a hydrogen-based mixture that can be used as a fuel not just for PHE, but all next generation advanced thermal technologies, potentially allowing more facilities to be developed for the same available capital, enhancing production towards and even beyond the ambitious 5GW target. Quantifying the impact for PHE, the proposed hydrogen separation technique has the potential to reduce project costs by up to 17.5%, or over £400m for 59 facilities.”

Dr Amir Keshmiri, Associate Professor in Computational Fluid Dynamics at The University of Manchester, said: “The collaboration allows The University of Manchester to be at the forefront of high-impact, game-changing technology development within the emerging clean hydrogen energy sector - and allows the academic team to capitalise on the bespoke hydrogen models developed to a wider audience.

Dr Kashmiri said clean energy from hydrogen – dubbed ‘green hydrogen’ - will be have a flagship spotlight at COP27, the climate change summit currently being hosted in Sharm el-Sheikh. He added: “Production and storage of low-carbon hydrogen is one of the key themes of COP27 which is hosted by Egypt as part of the .”

SF₆ is a gas commonly used in the power industry to provide electrical insulation and arc interruption. However, SF₆ is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential that is 25,200 times greater than CO₂.

The £1.9m project will see experts at 91ֱ�� help determine how National Grid can develop a retrofill solution to replace SF₆ with an environmentally friendlier alternative without having to replace or otherwise modify the existing equipment.

This solution – to be demonstrated at National Grid’s test facility the – will mean National Grid can avoid the environmental impact and cost of replacing equipment otherwise fit for many more years’ service.

It is not the first time National Grid and The University of Manchester have teamed up on a project exploring SF₆ alternatives – a previous initiative which concluded in 2020 is for ‘Best Innovation in Net Zero and Sustainability’.

In a separate pilot project last year National Grid and Hitachi Energy developed and deployed a world-first solution at Richborough substation in Kent to replace SF₆ with a greener alternative, marking a key step in National Grid’s ambition to reduce its SF₆ emissions by 50% by 2030. The new demonstrator with 91ֱ�� will explore how the retrofill solutions might be applied across more of the network.

This project will bring together the interdisciplinary expertise of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s and the , led by with .

Together the university and National Grid will create a physical demonstration, complete with an inbuilt condition-based monitoring system, that will focus on the applicability of SF₆ retrofill techniques. It will be developed in �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s High Voltage Research Laboratory, equipped with facilities that can test up to 600 kV DC, 800 kV AC, and 2 MV impulse, and has been the testbed for developing pioneering solutions such as and .

The project builds on Dr Tony Chen’s established expertise in SF₆, and it is anticipated its findings will give asset managers the information required for retrofilling significant quantities of SF₆-filled equipment across the transmission network, bridging the current gap between established feasibility, and long-term, real-world implementation.

Mark Waldron, Technical Lead at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said: “It’s exciting to be following the world-first SF₆ retrofill in Richborough substation with this initiative taking us a step closer to a solution to replace the gas in more of our assets. The potent combination of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s expertise in this area and the innovation and demonstration capability at our state-of-the-art Deeside facility will deepen our understanding of retrofill solutions, and could boost our progress in the decarbonisation of the grid while achieving a significant cost benefit for consumers.”

Energy is one of The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s five research beacons, examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. This project reflects the commitment of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s energy experts in delivering a just and prosperous Net Zero energy future.

By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the 91ֱ�� research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience, and equality.

National Grid’s Deeside Centre for Innovation in North Wales is the first of its kind in Europe, where electricity network assets can be tested under real life conditions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The facility provides a controlled test and demonstration environment to collect data, including a high voltage substation and overhead line test area simulating real network conditions.

Today’s shortlisting for the Bhattacharyya Award, which celebrates strategic industrial collaborations that benefit society, recognises �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s and National Grid’s long tradition of innovating at pace to ensure the UK has access to reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy. 

Spanning more than 19 years, the partnership has delivered significant CO₂ reductions, increased productivity, stimulated large investment in new jobs and engineering activity in the UK, and has facilitated the safe transfer of cleaner and affordable energy in a Net Zero future electricity network.  

In overhead line research alone, the knowledge generated has provided approximately £11m in cost savings to the UK energy network and enabled a new design – the T-Pylon – which now delivers power to six million homes.

91ֱ�� and National Grid have been shortlisted alongside: University of Birmingham and Rolls-Royce, University of Cambridge and ARM, Imperial College London and Transport Strategy Centre, Swansea University and Steel Strategic Alliance, and University College London, HR Wallingford and Arup. 

The Bhattacharyya Award and a cash prize of £25,000 will be presented to the team who best demonstrate how industry and universities can work together. The winning partnership will be announced on 29 September 2022.   

Professor Dame Ann Dowling OM DBE FREng FRS, former President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of the judging panel for the Bhattacharyya Award, said: “All six shortlisted partnerships are excellent examples of industry-academia collaboration, with timely and innovative responses to some of the most challenging issues facing society today. It is a privilege to showcase these successful collaborations and we hope that doing so fosters even greater connection between industry and academia in the UK.” 

Margot James, Executive Chair of WMG, University of Warwick, said: “It’s great to see the extremely high quality of industry-academia partnerships shortlisted for the second annual Bhattacharyya Award. As a celebration of Lord Bhattacharyya’s legacy, the Award continues to highlight how building symmetry between academia and industry is so vital for meeting the needs of society, and adapting to global challenges. We look forward to seeing which collaboration is selected as the overall winner.”  

The winner of the Bhattacharyya Award will be announced on Thursday 29 September 2022, at an event showcasing the shortlisted partnerships at the University of Warwick.

Those wishing to attend the Bhattacharyya Award ceremony can .   

Applications for Bhattacharyya Award 2023 are now open until 16 December 2022 and can be submitted via the Academy’s online grant system. 

Based on leading research and expertise on innovative and emerging technologies, experts are calling for sustainability to be at the forefront of humanity’s next phase of space exploration. In On Space, experts ask policymakers to consider space debris, satellite orbits and the investment needed to roll out sustainable space technology on Earth.

Many technologies used to counter climate change, including solar panels, started out as space-age innovations. Future innovations in space technology could be used to further reduce carbon emissions here on Earth.

Dr Aled Roberts explains one of the biggest challenges for off-world habitat construction is the transportation of building materials, which can cost upwards of £1m per brick. A solution could be that ‘local’ resources, such as Lunar or Martian soil, are used to make building materials. , researched at The University of Manchester, is a material is made from bio-based materials and the local planetary soil to make sturdy bricks that can be used to build space habitats.

On the use of this technology on Earth, Aled said: “Given that the construction sector accounts for 39% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, any relatively green construction material technology developed for off-world habitats could be employed as a sustainable alternative on Earth.”

Researchers also stress the need to take care of space, particularly around the Earth’s orbit. Of the 23,000 objects regularly being tracked in orbit by radar, around 15% are active satellites, the rest is space debris.

As more commercial satellites are launched, such as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite cluster, the potential for space debris increases.

Dr Peter Roberts argues that one way to combat the problem of space debris is to coordinate International space policymakers to agree to for commercial operations to lessen humanity’s impact on the space environment. Higher level orbits should be reserved for science, crewed activities, and space exploration.

Professor Emma Bunce, President of the , said: “It is exciting to contemplate the future of the UK space sector, our use of space for the good of our planet, and its robotic and human exploration more widely. The ‘space age’ is still relatively young – just 60 years – but it is clear that our future and that of our planet will be reliant on space technology and the application of space-enabled data.”

As well as sustainability, On Space advocates for the use of advanced materials, such as graphene, in UK space technology, support for research and development into emerging space technologies in the UK and prioritising international collaborations in UK and international space policy.

On Space is available to read on .

Read the Policy@91ֱ�� thinkpieces at .

For more information on the conference visit

Energy is one of The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s five research beacons, examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet.

At 91ֱ��, our energy experts are committed to delivering a just and prosperous Net Zero energy future. By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts addresses the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the 91ֱ�� research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience and equality.

Visit energy.manchester.ac.uk to learn more.

‘Hot robotic’ systems were originally designed to work in radioactive environments found in decommissioned nuclear reactors - but future assignments for this type of super machine will include deployment in nuclear fusion power, the offshore energy sector, agriculture and even outer space.

As part of an ambitious R&D programme to maintain UK leadership in robotic technologies, 91ֱ�� experts are applying AI technologies to ‘hot robotics’ as they will increasingly need to act independently of human operators as they enter a range of danger zones to carry out highly complex tasks.    

�Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s expertise in AI and robotic technologies will be showcased on June 14 as part of a symposium that will put a spotlight on the National Nuclear User Facility Hot Robotics programme Register here:

An important challenge in the nuclear industry is to improve robot autonomy so that the technology can be used to deliver safer, faster and cheaper decommissioning of legacy power stations and other radioactive facilities at sites such as Sellafield and Dounreay.

To support this challenge, the Robotics and AI Collaboration (RAICo) has been established in Cumbria as a joint research programme between The University of Manchester, the UK Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA), Sellafield Ltd, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the National Nuclear Laboratory. The aim is to develop advanced robotic and AI solutions and transferring these to sites across the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s estate in the UK.

In addition to supporting the nuclear decommissioning industry, RAICo will also provide a pilot for the development and application of sophisticated robotic systems in other sectors – a recent  estimates that the total UK market size for autonomous robotic systems will reach almost £3.5 billion by 2030. 

Academic engagement into RAICo is being led by Professor Barry Lennox and his team at The University of Manchester. This group leads the (Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear) hub and are also part of the 91ֱ�� Robotics and AI Centre.

“The inclusion of AI is because the goal is to develop automated systems that can operate much more efficiently than if they were operated by people,” explained Barry Lennox.

“Within RAICo we are looking at how to improve the operation of remote manipulation and inspection systems. We’re helping Sellafield and other nuclear end-users to develop the next generation of remote surveying and handling equipment so they can improve their operations.”

Professor Lennox explained that 91ֱ�� is a world-leader in designing and developing autonomous systems through the application of AI technologies like machine learning to significantly improve robotic systems.

The 91ֱ��-led RAIN group has built up their expertise after pioneering a series of resilient robotic systems to carry out work in many of the UK’s decommissioned nuclear power stations – doing work that is too dangerous for humans.

Professor Lennox explained: “The prefix ‘hot’ was introduced because we were interested in deploying the robots into active environments - but we’re now looking to expand the hot so it can refer to more general applications, including the space, agriculture and offshore sectors. Many of the challenges are similar, although the robots may end up looking a bit different.”

Enhancing the AI capability of these machines is the next big challenge for his team, added Professor Lennox. “AI introduces lots of additional problems related to ensuring that the AI will do what we expect it to do and not cause damage or risk the safety of humans.”

Expanding beyond nuclear decommissioning, the 91ֱ��-led RAIN team are also establishing joint programmes of work with the UK Atomic Energy Authority to support them in the development of robotic systems for nuclear fusion reactors.

Rob Buckingham, Director UK Atomic Energy Authority and head of their Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) centre, said: “The next generation of robotics will be essential for the delivery of fusion power and, recognising this, we intend to collaborate widely with the best, such as the robotics research group at 91ֱ��.

“Working with 91ֱ�� on the RAIN programme has reaped huge rewards for both parties so let’s do more.”

Finally, 91ֱ�� researchers have been advising UK policy-makers and energy sector leaders on the safe development of robotic and autonomous systems for work in harsh environments.

  and have recently outlined recommendations in their ‘, calling for greater transparency and easier verification in autonomous decision-making processes, particularly for systems used in situations where there is a risk to human wellbeing. 

 

By leveraging the potential of the region’s world-class growth and innovation assets, the Agency aims to lead the way, opening up opportunities in all parts of the city-region, to accelerate energy innovation across the Greater 91ֱ�� and beyond.

Based in Greater 91ֱ��, the Agency has been established by three leading universities (The University of Manchester, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University and the University of Salford), property specialists Bruntwood, Greater 91ֱ�� Combined Authority, The Growth Company, Hitachi Europe, and energy firm SSE. 

The Agency will focus on four core challenge areas, attracting and supporting energy innovators on their journey to commercialisation. The Agency will launch with a series of challenge events based on each focus area, which are designed to engage innovators from across the country and beyond, to solve some of the industry’s greatest problems and accelerate the journey to net zero carbon. 

The first challenge will focus on finding new solutions to decarbonise heat generation in non-domestic buildings.

David Schiele, Director of the Energy Innovation Agency, said: “Twelve per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions are produced from heating non-domestic buildings, of which sixty per cent still generate their heat by gas. Reducing these emissions will be essential for the UK and, indeed, the rest of the world to speed up the progress of creating carbon-neutral cities and towns. 

“As the home of The Energy Innovation Agency, Greater 91ֱ�� will be our testbed for this challenge, as well as the three challenges to follow. The potential prize extends far beyond the confines of our city-region and as such we’re looking globally as well as locally to find solutions that can help to bolster this transition. We need innovators, entrepreneurs, and rainmakers to come forward with their brightest responses to this challenge - the world literally depends on it.” 

Rising energy costs and increased legislation on commercial landlords, such as the 2023 requirement for all rented commercial properties to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rated E or above, have already created a strong market driver for solutions that can help to lower carbon emissions.

Solving these issues will require innovation in technology, processes, partnerships, business models and financial structures. The Agency is inviting individuals and organisations, from within and outside Greater 91ֱ��, to apply to pitch their solutions to the Agency and key representatives from its partner organisations at its launch event in 91ֱ��.

Pitch applicants will be asked to describe their innovation, outlining how it responds to the challenge of decarbonising heat in non-domestic buildings, the current stage of innovation development, as well as the support required to help the innovation commercialise. 

The deadline to apply for pitching is 6pm on Monday 18^th April. Successful applicants will be invited to deliver a five-minute pitch, in private, to a panel of representatives from the Agency and its partner organisations. 

Those with the most promising pitches will be supported by the Agency to develop a complete roadmap to commercialisation, with the aim of accelerating deployment to make the biggest impact on reducing emissions both in Greater 91ֱ�� and beyond. 

*The four areas of focus for the Agency are decarbonisation of heat, energy generation and storage, low-carbon transport, and energy diversity and flexibility.  For more information:      

Previously, gaining this amount of detailed information would be complex and, even where possible, it would require operations staff to make additional airline suit entries into contaminated areas, increasing cost and elevating risk. Human access to this area is currently impossible due to the size of the duct and radiological risks.

This deployment has proven that mobile robots can be used to accelerate the pace of decommissioning legacy nuclear facilities in the UK, while at the same time reducing the risk to humans, decreasing costs and even reducing the amount of additional low-level waste that is generated during decommissioning.

Lyra’s Design

Lyra was designed as a low-cost robot, featuring 5 radiation detectors, a laser scanner for positioning, 2 cameras, lights and a manipulator arm that was used to take swab samples of the radioactive contamination from the wall or floor of the duct. Lyra was developed by researchers at The University of Manchester, working within the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear (RAIN) Hub and with considerable guidance from technical and operations staff at Dounreay Site Remediation Ltd (DSRL).

Lyra was fitted with tracks and given a relatively high ground clearance to enable it to clear the considerable amounts of rubble that lay in the duct. The radiation sensing package was designed to be able to measure beta, gammas, x-ray, and neutrons radiations and a 5 DOF manipulator was attached to enable it to collect swabs for further radiological analysis at the site laboratories

Cameras were attached to the front of Lyra and to the end of the manipulator. The camera attached to the manipulator allowed for detailed inspection of any areas of interest that were identified during the survey. Lyra is controlled via joypad, which is used for driving, and a compliant manipulator arm whose motion is copied by the arm on the robot.

The radiation sensing package coupled with the LIDAR radar, live camera footage enabled a 3D, time stamped video to be developed with the radiation readings as measured overlayed onto the video such that any point of interest or high radiation measurement could be pin pointed at any selected location within the duct.

Lyra was untethered, but did incorporate a winch retrieval mechanism, which could be used to drag Lyra back to an access point in the event of a loss of power, or to shift it off rubble if it became beached. An independent, remote reset was also incorporated onto Lyra. This was a wireless device that enabled Lyra to perform a ‘hard reset’ if necessary.

The Deployment

The deployment of Lyra was completed in partnership with the operations team at DSRL and the figure below shows an image of the access port, within containment, that Lyra was deployed through. The frame that is being inserted provides additional cameras, lighting and back-up communications.

Following the successful deployment of Lyra, DSRL Project Manager Jason Simpson said: “DSRL is greatly indebted to the team from The University of Manchester, their efforts coupled with that of FIS360 Managing Director Frank Allison have clearly demonstrated the substantial benefits to be gained through collaborative working with the supply chain. Now that the characterisation survey is complete, we have built up a comprehensive picture of the duct which will help us make informed decisions on how the duct will be decommissioned going forward.

“Although it is recognised that the incentives to succeed differed for all parties, the enthusiasm and commitment from Frank Allison, Barry Lennox, Matthew Nancekievill, Keir Groves and the rest of the team at 91ֱ��, ensured our objectives ultimately aligned to culminate in the successful deployment and data capture witnessed via Lyra.”

RAIN Hub Director Barry Lennox added: “We wanted to demonstrate that the robot could be used successfully in active areas. We added fail safe devices, including a remote “reboot” switch, and a winch to enable us to physically retrieve the robot if it got stuck on the debris in the duct. The survey has demonstrated Lyra’s reliability in active areas.”

The deployment was supported by innovation and technology transfer specialists, FIS360. Their Managing Director, Frank Allison said: “The development and deployment of Lyra highlights the benefits that robotics technology offers the nuclear industry and the importance of academia, end-users and businesses in the supply chain working together. It is only through collaborative working, like this, that solutions can be developed for complex challenges, such as surveying the Dounreay duct.”

The research team are grateful for the use of the Lyra robot, which was made available for this work through the NNUF Hot Robotics Programme.

The Lyra robot is one example of mobile robotic platforms designed for inspection of hazardous environments and is commercially available through Ice Nine Ltd

For further information regarding this work, please see:

is one of The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Dr Vidyadhar Peesapati, Knowledge Transfer Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, explains: “Such is the challenge of net zero that we must embrace the opportunity presented by emerging technologies. �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s expertise in applying new technologies and our ability to innovate at pace, means we can offer the agile partnership organisations like National Grid need.

“We share their ambition to learn fast, through knowledge exchange, so that together we can develop solutions that will have a real world impact, accelerating pathways to net zero.”

The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) is a funding mechanism for the Electricity System Operator, Electricity Transmission, Gas Transmission and Gas Distribution sectors. The SIF aims to find projects that help shape the future of the gas and electricity networks and succeed commercially where possible.

The fund is expected to invest £450 million in energy network innovation from 2021-2026, with the option to extend and increase as necessary.

Alongside the evaluation work, the IGNITE Network+ team will be working to support energy researchers from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds through organisational interventions, mentorship, advice and advocacy.

Initiatives arising from consultation with the research community will be a key component of the network, with 40% of the funding allocated to flexible funding calls to address energy research challenges, and fund initiatives in support of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Principal Investigator, Professor Rebecca Lunn from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Strathclyde said: “There is a real lack of diversity in energy research which stems not from a lack of interest, talent or ambition in underrepresented individuals, but from systemic inequalities in UK systems and institutions.

“IGNITE Network+ will focus on transforming diversity by critically evaluating systemic inequalities at each stage in the career pathways of energy researchers. We will design and implement initiatives to remove barriers to success for underrepresented individuals and monitor the performance of these initiatives.”

The project work will be complemented by separate research carried out by Professor Simone Abram at Durham University, a Director in the , also funded by EPSRC. The EDI+ national fellowship scheme will address key challenges and equip a cohort of researchers and their organisations to make lasting changes towards a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible research community.

It proposes different phase-out dates for oil and gas producing countries in line with the Paris Agreement’s goals and commitment to a fair transition. Taking into account countries’ differing levels of wealth, development and economic reliance on fossil fuels, it says the poorest nations should be given until 2050 to end production but will also need significant financial support to transition their economies.

The report, by Professor Kevin Anderson, a leading researcher at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and Dr Dan Calverley, warns that there is no room for any nation to increase production, with all having to make significant cuts this decade. The richest, which produce over a third of the world’s oil and gas, must cut output by 74% by 2030; the poorest, which supply just one ninth of global demand, must cut back by 14%.

Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at The University of Manchester, said: “Responding to the ongoing climate emergency requires a rapid shift away from a fossil fuel economy, but this must be done fairly. There are huge differences in the ability of countries to end oil and gas production, while maintaining vibrant economies and delivering a just transition for their citizens.  We have developed a schedule for phasing out oil and gas production that – with sufficient support for developing countries – meets our very challenging climate commitments and does so in a fair way.

“The research was completed prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Our first thoughts are with the Ukrainian people and indeed with all of those caught up in the war. But the resulting high energy prices also remind us that oil and gas are volatile global commodities, and economies that depend on them will continue to face repeated shocks and disruption. The efficient and sensible use of energy combined with a rapid shift to renewables will increase energy security, build resilient economies, and help avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”

The report, commissioned by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, notes that some poorer nations are so reliant on fossil fuel revenues that rapidly removing this income could threaten their political stability. Countries like South Sudan, Congo-Brazzaville, and Gabon, despite being small producers, have little economic revenue apart from oil and gas production.

By contrast, it observes: “Wealthy nations that are major producers, typically remain wealthy even once the oil and gas revenue is removed.” Oil and gas revenue contribute 8% to US GDP but without it the country’s GDP per head would still be around $60,000 – the second highest globally.

When countries signed the UN Paris Agreement, they agreed that wealthy nations should take bigger and faster steps to decarbonise their economies and also provide financial support to help poorer countries move away from fossil fuels. This principle has been applied to coal power generation, with the UN calling on wealthy OECD countries to phase our coal use by 2030 and the rest of the world by 2040.

The report, , applies similar principles to oil and gas. It quantifies how much future production is consistent with the Paris climate targets and what this implies for the 88 countries responsible for 99.97% of all oil and gas supply. It sets viable phase-out pathways for five different groups of countries based on their differing capacities to make a rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels.

For a 50% chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C, it finds that:

• 19 Highest Capacity countries, with average non-oil GDP per person (GDP/capita) of over $50,000, must end production by 2034, with a 74% cut by 2030. This group produces 35% of global oil and gas and includes the USA, UK, Norway, Canada, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
   
• 14 High Capacity countries, with average non-oil GDP/capita of nearly $28,000, must end production by 2039, with a 43% cut by 2030. They produce 30% of global oil and gas and include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Kazakhstan.
   
• 11 Medium Capacity countries, with average non-oil GDP/capita of $17,000, must end production by 2043, with a 28% cut by 2030. They produce 11% of global oil and gas and include China, Brazil and Mexico.
   
• 19 Low Capacity countries with average non-oil GDP/capita of $10,000, must end production by 2045, with an 18% cut by 2030. They produce 13% of global oil and gas and include Indonesia, Iran and Egypt.
   
• 25 Lowest Capacity countries, with average non-oil GDP/capita of $3,600, must end production by 2050 with a 14% cut by 2030. They produce 11% of global oil and gas and include Iraq, Libya, Angola and South Sudan.

Dr Dan Calverley said: “There is very little room for manoeuvre if we want to limit warming to 1.5°C. Although this schedule gives poorer countries longer to phase out oil and gas production, they will be hit hard by the loss of income. An equitable transition will require substantial levels of financial assistance for poorer producers, so they can meet their development needs while they switch to low-carbon economies and deal with growing climate impacts.”

Commenting on the report, Connie Hedegaard, former European Commissioner for Climate Action and Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, said: “While it is largely understood that there needs to be an urgent phase-out of coal production globally, this report illustrates only too clearly why there also needs to be a phase-out of oil and gas production. And it shows that the pace and end date of the wind-down needs to be rapid. This urgency has only been tragically underscored by recent geopolitical events, which have made it abundantly clear that there are numerous reasons why the world needs to get off its dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to clean energy”.

Saber H. Chowdhury, Member of the Bangladesh Parliament and Honorary President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, said: "The science is conclusive - fossil fuels need to be phased out now and a fossil fuel free future world realised soon. Wealthy nations have the means to transition fastest and have a moral duty to do this. At same time, they have an obligation to support countries in the global south with finance and technology to assist them in transitioning to renewables to secure their energy needs."

The proposed schedules for winding down oil and gas production depend on a rapid global phase-out of coal. The report notes that many poorer countries rely on domestic coal production for their energy needs: nearly three quarters of all the world’s coal is produced and consumed in developing countries. However, to achieve 1.5°C without even tighter reductions on oil and gas, coal production must peak in developing countries by 2022 and end by 2040, while developed countries must phase out all coal production by 2030.

Ofgem announced on 1 March 2022 the funding award for the  feasibility study and Dr Tony Chen will investigate the technical feasibility of a SF₆-free GIL solution in providing high-capacity transmission connections over long-distance.

Current generation of GIL are filled with sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential that is 23,500 times more harmful than CO₂. The project will explore SF₆ alternatives with significantly lower carbon footprint.

The feasibility stage will be undertaken by Dr Chen at The University of Manchester which hosts the largest academic High Voltage Laboratory in the country, with facilities that can test power equipment up to 600 kV DC, 800 kV AC, and 2 MV impulse.

Dr Chen, Lecturer in High Voltage Engineering within the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, said: “Now is the time for innovation and to develop a grid of the future that manages soaring demand for electricity, while lowering the potential environmental impact and ensuring the UK has access to affordable and resilient electricity supply.

“At 91ֱ��, we are committed to delivering a just and prosperous net zero energy, and are honoured to work alongside National Grid Energy Transmission and the other project partners who share the same technical and civic ambitions.” 

‘Siting Implications of Nuclear Energy: A path to net zero’, maps the nine actions required to understand the whole nuclear energy lifecycle better, to help ensure the sector can realistically and responsibly deliver the scale of development required. 

Authored by the senior leadership team at , home to the largest and most advanced nuclear research capability in UK academia, the paper considers how policymakers and industry decision makers should tackle key issues such as spent fuel and waste management strategies, safety standards for licensing (and de-licensing) sites, the kind of legacy we might tolerate from our nuclear sector and the role of local communities in determining the suitability of sites for nuclear development.

Professor Francis Livens, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute explains: “In the UK, nuclear energy seems at last to be returning to the fore after decades of comparative, if productive, obscurity. With the expansion necessary to help deliver our net zero ambition and the new applications envisaged for nuclear energy, the limited number of nominated nuclear sites in the UK is insufficient. Delivering on these ambitions will therefore require new nuclear sites to be identified, and new communities to accept nuclear facilities. 

“This is not a trivial task, and common to all discussions about nuclear energy generation is the ever-present question of waste. Now would be a good time to ask ourselves questions concerning our future waste policy.

“Delivery of nuclear energy is a complex process, and we must aim to understand the whole lifecycle if we are to make the right decisions. This report aims to further discussion on the matter and provides recommendations on how to use nuclear energy responsibly to deliver net zero.” 

Co-author Professor Gregg Butler continues: “It is only by addressing this issue now, taking time to understand the impact of the whole lifecycle, that we can achieve the scale of siting required. 

“In this paper, we set out recommendations for a future waste policy that – once in place – will ensure the path is clear for nuclear energy to deliver on its net zero potential.”

The paper has been co-authored by Dr William Bodel, Prof Gregg Butler and Prof Adrian Bull. Read

 at The University of Manchester is a world-leading cross-disciplinary nuclear research institute, providing research across the whole fuel cycle, delivering impact to industry, governments and regulators, and supporting the UK’s long term nuclear ambition.

 is one of The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Reported in the journal, , a group of researchers from The University 91ֱ��, the European Commission Joint Research Centre Karlsruhe, and Los Alamos National Laboratory successfully prepared and characterised this long-sought transuranium chemical bonding scenario in an isolable compound.

The study of metal-element multiple bond interactions is an enormous area of research in chemistry with decades of intensive investigations that have sought to understand chemical bonding, reactivity, catalysis, and separations applications. Where actinide-element multiple bonding is concerned, there is much interest in exploiting understanding of chemical bonding (covalency) in extraction studies, because this could inform attempts to separate and clean up nuclear waste.

However, whilst metal-element multiple bond investigations are routinely reported and well established across the Periodic Table right up to uranium, the heaviest element to occur naturally in significant quantities, investigations involving transuranium elements, which are elements that come after uranium in the Periodic Table such as neptunium, have been restricted due to the need to conduct work on such radioactive elements in specialist facilities.

Inevitably with restricted experimental work for transuranium-element multiple bonding the transfer of knowledge from fundamental studies in this area to inform potential separations applications is low.

For the transuranium-element multiple bond chemistry that has been accomplished, examples that are known involve two or more element multiple bonds to a given transuranium ion in order to provide enough stabilisation to permit isolation of those compounds. However, the presence of two or more multiple bonded elements has meant that such linkages could not be studied in isolation, complicating their analysis. To date it had not been possible to access transuranium complexes with just one multiple bond to an element that was stable enough to be isolated, so it has been impossible to reliably experimentally confirm or disprove theoretical predictions, which is difficult to do generally for elements that are in relativistic situations.

Using specialist handling facilities, the researchers succeeded in preparing a complex containing a neptunium ion with a multiple bond to a single oxygen atom. The key to success was careful design of the supporting, cage-like organic ligand framework with four stabilising nitrogen donors and large silicon-based flanking groups to protect the neptunium-oxygen bond and enable its study in isolation.

By extending from prior work on uranium now to neptunium, the researchers were able to make hitherto impossible comparisons, with the surprise finding that the neptunium-oxygen complex has more covalent chemical bonding that an isostructural uranium-oxygen complex. This is the opposite of predictions, underscoring the difficulty of making predictions in this area of the Periodic Table and the importance of experimentally testing them.

Professor Steve Liddle, co-Director of the Centre for Radiochemistry at The University of Manchester, coordinated the research. He said: “It is thanks to the talent of the researchers involved in this study and through collaboration at specialist facilities internationally that this work has been possible.

Molecular uranium and thorium chemistry has taken enormous strides forwards in recent years through the study of metal-element multiple bonding, but transuranium science has lagged far behind due to the challenges of working experimentally with these elements. The researcher’s work demonstrates that transuranium analogues are now accessible for wider study, opening up opportunities to grow this new field of actinide science.

The paper, ‘A terminal neptunium(V)–mono(oxo) complex’, is published in .

January

The world’s finest fabric: 2021 started with an award win as a team of University scientists were honoured with the  for weaving threads of individual molecules together to create the ‘world’s finest fabric’, overtaking finest Egyptian linen.

February

Mysterious gamma-ray source identified: The start of the year continued with a spectacular space discovery as a rapidly rotating neutron star was found to be at the core of a celestial object now known as PSR J2039-5617. The astronomers’ findings were uniquely boosted by the Einstein@Home project, a network of thousands of civilian volunteers lending their home computing power to the efforts of the Fermi Telescope’s work.

March

£7bn innovation investment: A major investment boost for the North was announced in March to the tune of £7 billion to support economic growth in the region. The University of Manchester will be joined by leading innovators from business, science, academia and local government in developing the Innovation GM partnership as the basis of a formal collaboration deal with Government, suggesting it could create 100,000 jobs.

April

Solved: The Brazil nut puzzle: April saw researchers finally crack the age-old ‘Brazil nut puzzle’. For the first time they captured the complex dynamics of particle movement in granular materials, helping to explain why mixed nuts often see the larger Brazil nuts gather at the top. The findings could have vital impact on industries struggling with the phenomenon, such as pharmaceuticals and mining.

May

Graphene solves concrete’s big problem: In May, graphene met concrete in another world first which could revolutionise the concrete industry and its impact on the environment. In a joint venture, with Nationwide Engineering the team has laid the floor slab of a new gym with graphene-enhanced 'Concretene', removing 30% of material and all steel reinforcement. Depending on the size of onward projects, it is estimated to provide a 10-20% saving to its customers.

June

Plans for ID 91ֱ�� revealed: Summer began with the announcement that The University had found a partner to deliver the ambitious £1.5 billion ID 91ֱ�� project. The project will look to re-develop the North Campus to become a globally significant innovation district with specialist infrastructure to commercialise scientific discovery and R&D innovation.

July

New technology to help achieve Net Zero: July saw new efforts to help the world achieve its Net Zero targets with the aim of converting CO2, waste and sustainable biomass into clean and sustainable fuels and products. Catalysts are involved in helping to manufacture an estimated 80% of materials required in modern life, so are integral in manufacturing processes. As a result, up to 35% of the world’s GDP relies on catalysis. To reach net zero, it will be critical to develop new sustainable catalysts and processes.

August

Breakthrough in metal bonding: In summer we reported that scientists managed to successfully make actinide metals form molecular actinide-actinide bonds for the first time, opening up a new field of scientific study in materials research. Reported in the journal Nature, a group of scientists from 91ֱ�� and Stuttgart universities successfully prepared and characterised long-sought actinide bonding in an isolable compound.

September

Using astronaut blood to build space houses: September saw blood, sweat, tears and space with a discovery that astronaut blood could be the key to creating affordable housing in space. In their study, published in Materials Today Bio, a protein from human blood, combined with a compound from urine, sweat or tears, could glue together simulated moon or Mars soil to produce a material stronger than ordinary concrete, perfectly suited for construction work in extra-terrestrial environments.

October

New era of physics thanks to neutrino experiment: A two-decade long physics question was explored in October with a discovery that could cause a radical shift in our understanding of the universe. A major new physics experiment used four complementary analyses to show no signs of a theorised fourth kind of neutrino known as the sterile neutrino. Its existence is considered a possible explanation for anomalies seen in previous physics experiments.

November

New study shows link between weather and COVID-19 transmission: It wouldn’t be a 2021 news round-up without mention of COVID-19. A new meta-analysis of over 150 research papers published during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the link between the weather and the spread of the illness. The research, published in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society, started with 158 studies that were published early in the pandemic using data before November 2020. It was discovered that early data was often inconsistent as they were affected by seasonal cycles and weather conditions impacting on the spread of the virus.

December

Challenging Einstein with stars: Rounding off another unusual year we saw scientists across the globe collaborate to challenge one of Einstein’s greatest theories – the theory of relativity. Using seven radio telescopes and taking 16 years the team successfully observed a double-pulsar system which demonstrated new relativistic effects that, while expected had never been observed and proved before.

The ECLIF3 study, involving , , German research centre , and SAF producer , marks the first time 100% SAF has been measured simultaneously on both engines of a commercial passenger aircraft – an Airbus A350 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

In-flight emissions tests and associated ground testing on the ECLIF3 programme began earlier this year and have recently resumed. The interdisciplinary team, which also includes researchers from the National Research Council of Canada and The University of Manchester, plans to publish its results in academic journals towards the end of next year and in 2023.

Findings from the study will support efforts currently underway at Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure the aviation sector is ready for the large-scale use of SAF as part of the wider initiative to decarbonise the industry. Aircraft are currently only allowed to operate on a 50% blend of SAF and conventional jet fuel, but both companies support the drive to certify 100% SAF use.

In April, the A350 flew three flights over the Mediterranean Sea pursued by a DLR Falcon chaser plane to compare in-flight emissions of both kerosene and Neste’s hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) sustainable fuel. The team also carried out compliance tests using 100% SAF and no operational issues were experienced.

In-flight emission tests using 100% SAF and a HEFA/Jet A-1 fuel blend resumed this month, while ground-based emissions testing to quantify the benefits of SAF on local air quality were also performed. The research team found SAF releases fewer particulates than conventional kerosene at all tested engine operating conditions, which points to the potential for reduced climate impact and improvement in air quality around airports.

In addition, SAF has lower density but higher energy content per kilogram of fuel compared to conventional kerosene, which brings some aircraft fuel-efficiency advantages due to lower fuel burn and less fuel mass to board to achieve the same mission. Detailed analysis by the team is on-going.

“Engines and fuel systems can be tested on the ground but the only way to gather the full set of emissions data necessary for this programme to be successful is to fly an aircraft in real conditions,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy Programme Manager at Airbus. “In-flight testing of the A350 offers the advantage of characterising direct and indirect engine emissions, including particulates from behind an aircraft at high altitude.”

Simon Burr, Rolls-Royce Director of Product Development and Technology, Civil Aerospace, said: “This research adds to tests we’ve already carried out on our engines both on the ground and in the air which have found no engineering obstacle to our engines running on 100% SAF. If we are to truly decarbonise long-haul air travel, then 100% SAF is a critical element and we are committed to supporting its certification for service.”

The DLR Falcon chaser aircraft is equipped with multiple probes to measure emissions at cruise level down to a distance of only 100 metres from the A350 and feed them into scientific instrumentation for analysis.

“SAF has been shown to have a significantly lower carbon footprint over its life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel and now we are seeing it is advantageous in reducing non-CO₂ effects too,” said Markus Fischer, DLR’s Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics. “Tests such as these are continuing to develop our understanding of 100% SAF, its use in flight and its potential positive effects on climate change. We look forward to studying the data from the second series of ECLIF3 flights, which restarted with a first chase flight above the Mediterranean earlier this month."

In 2015, DLR performed the ECLIF1 campaign, investigating alternative fuels with its Falcon and A320 ATRA research aircraft. These investigations continued in 2018 with the ECLIF2 campaign which saw the A320 ATRA flying with a mixture of standard jet fuel and up to 50% HEFA. This research showed the advantageous emission performance of fuel mixtures up to 50% SAF and paved the way for the 100% SAF test flights for ECLIF3.

In the run-up to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has strongly criticised the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for not doing enough to cut carbon emissions from the shipping sector. International shipping alone has emissions the size of Germany. But progress is very slow.

Current IMO targets see no emissions reductions for the sector before 2030, and would lead to shipping emitting more than double the emissions compatible with limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees.

The new research published in the journal, , concludes that significantly stronger short and longer-term targets need to be set for the sector to be compatible with the Paris Agreement’s goals: 34% reductions on 2008 emissions levels by 2030, and zero emissions before 2050, compared with the sector’s existing target of a 50% cut in CO2 by 2050. Crucially, strengthening the target by the IMO’s 2023 strategy revision date is imperative.

Professor Alice Larkin argues that the longer the delay in setting new targets, the steeper subsequent decarbonisation trajectories. “It has to be all hands on deck for international shipping now. Immediate action that focuses on operational change and retrofitting existing ships is needed to deliver major emissions reductions this decade, or shipping cannot deliver its fair part in meeting the Paris climate goals” she said.

“Delay beyond 2023 would mean the future transition for international shipping is too rapid to be feasible. Nations should state at COP26 that they will ensure shipping has Paris-compatible targets and policies for 2030 and 2050.”

At COP 26 this November, countries are being asked to bring more ambitious climate targets for 2030, called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to bring the world on track to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees.

The 91ֱ�� based researchers are calling on nations to push the IMO to make a clear statement during this COP26 year that shipping must have Paris compatible targets.

The results of this research state that this pressure needs to be translated into actual movement from the IMO with regard to their climate action. New targets, and policies to meet them, cannot wait.

The innovative device enables rooms to heat up quicker and minimises energy bills, reducing fuel poverty and the carbon footprint of UK homes.

Thermocill^TM is a discreet window board that directs air from a room’s radiator up and against the window panes creating a warm curtain in front of the glazing.

Researchers from the (MACE) at the University have supported development of a prototype and applied computer modelling to optimise, calculate and verify effectiveness of the unique green-tech.

Dr Amir Keshmiri, a Reader in Fluid Dynamics who led this project at MACE said: “Thermocill is an innovative concept based on the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and heat transfer and our results have demonstrated the effectiveness of this device in changing the flow in the room and the thermal comfort”.

Researchers from the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI Hub) have also worked closely with the University to help investigate the suitability and sustainability of different materials for .

The Hub conducted an assessment of the suitability of different materials for manufacturing Thermocill, which included investigations of the mechanical and physical properties as well as recyclability and sustainability.

Other innovative materials will also be considered for future development of the product including hemp, the use of which is becoming more widely recognised for its potential to help fight climate change.

Professor Michael Shaver, SMI Hub Director and Professor of Polymer Chemistry at The University of Manchester said: “Households are huge sources of carbon emissions so it’s important that innovative solutions are developed to help reduce their impact. We are proud to advise the company on the sustainability of their plastic choices for both current and future products."

Award-winning entrepreneur and inventor of Thermocill, Keith Rimmer, said: “Both The University of Manchester and the SMI Hub have played a key role in helping to support the development of Thermocill, from the initial idea and concept through to real-world application. Finding a sustainable material to make the product from has always been a critically important element, to maximise the positive environmental impact of Thermocill.

“With the first major production run taking place soon we’re at an exciting stage in this journey and it’s very exciting that together, we’ve developed a product that will have a positive impact on energy efficiency and fuel poverty very soon.”

Performance of the product has also been verified by the t, with headline benefits including a 14 per cent reduction in the energy needed to heat up a room and a 150kg reduction in CO2 emissions per year for each household where Thermocill is installed.

A council in the North West has agreed to initially install Thermocill in 2,000 homes across their 22,000 properties, which will lead to 300 tonnes of CO2 emission savings and 16 tonnes of materials saved from going to landfills.

This highly coveted prize is awarded annually to independently funded students for "a record of outstanding accomplishments during their PhD in any discipline" and is the highest award given to graduate students studying outside China.

During his PhD, which was funded by the University of Manchester President’s Doctoral Scholarship Scheme, Jinzghen investigated the chemistry of actinide-nitrides, probing their synthesis, electronic structure, and reactivity, and unusual small molecule activation at transient low-valent thorium. After his PhD, Jingzhen remained in the Liddle Group where he is currently a postdoctoral researcher.

Jingzhen said: “I am absolutely humbled and delighted to be a recipient of this award. The list of previous winners is full of highly talented individuals, so I am deeply honoured to have been selected.”

A full summary of the Tyndall Centre key recommendations is .

As an immediate response to this exploration, Massive Attack have designed 6 major emissions reduction modules for their 2022 tour, to trial implementation and carry out modelling on interactive practicalities, and to then bring all project learning together in a major UK testbed live show to proliferate change.

The band are also excited to be working with industrialist Dale Vince and to design bespoke partnerships with a wide variety of music arenas and venues – so we can create far greater renewable energy capacity for the UK grid, help train event staff to run and generate sustainable operations, and to introduce vegan food options in front and back of house set ups.

Robert del Naja (3D), Massive Attack said: “We’re grateful to Tyndall Centre analysts for providing our industry with a comprehensive, independent, scientifically produced formula to facilitate industry compatibility with the Paris/1.5 degrees climate targets – but what matters now is implementation. The major promotors simply must do more - it can’t be left to artists to continually make these public appeals. But our sector is operating in a government void. Nine weeks out of COP26, where is the industrial plan, or any plan at all, for the scale of transformation that’s required for the UK economy and society? 

"Fossil fuel companies seem to have no problem at all getting huge subsidies from government, but where is the plan for investment in clean battery technology, clean infrastructure or decarbonized food supply for a live music sector that generates £4.6 billion for the economy every year & employs more than 200k dedicated people? It simply doesn’t exist."

Massive Attack now plan to help contribute rapid answers to a range of questions posed by this report:

For indoor shows, which venues can provide “plug and play” options to remove the constant and unnecessary movement of touring production freight? How easily can venues switch their power supplies to genuinely renewable sources that materially increase new solar and wind capacity for the UK grid overall?

For the festival sector - facing the inevitability of increased environmental measures within the licensing framework and the urgent replacement of diesel power- what increased role can central and local government now play in the provision & viability of clean battery technology for festival events? Where can new local & national partnerships be built that plug events into the power grid and create localised supply chains, including catering, services and equipment?

And for both: how can we incentivise & enhance audience travel via rail; what role can smart to train ticket packages play? And ultimately for major events, who will be the first to embrace the use of individual chartered trains? Who are the partners to collaborate on the smart-routing tours, adapting transportation possibilities to the lowest carbon emitting option, and test electric freight options & the viability of rail freight networking?

Massive Attack are committed, with immediate effect, to working with all stakeholders who are focused on actioning these points.

Too often carbon reduction targets can seem overwhelming or unattainable, but we know from our own experience of band travel via rail (achieving an instant 31% reduction overall in the most carbon intensive band activity) and the availability, now, of biogas HGV technology that offers 90-95% GHG emissions reductions - that immediate action is possible. And our own discussions with renewable power providers and transport operators demonstrate more existing opportunities for positive change.

The band would also want to see these transitions carried out fairly and equitably, in order that smaller independent venues and festivals who have suffered so badly during the COVID 19 pandemic don’t suffer further – and are financially supported in their own adaptations, by both the government and the sector overall.

Professor Carly McLachlan (Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research) said: “We hope that this roadmap can help to catalyse change by outlining the scale of action required and how this maps across the different elements of a tour. To reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change, touring practices need to be reassembled differently as the industry emerges from the significant challenges that the pandemic has created.

"This starts from the very inception of a tour and requires the creativity and innovation of artists, managers, promoters, designers and agents to be unleashed to establish new ways of planning and delivering live music tours.” 

Dale Vince OBE said: "We're happy to be working with Massive Attack to facilitate rapid change in the live music world. Every section of society has to make positive changes, and gigs are no exception. The partnership we've designed will allow venues and arenas to create and contribute more renewable energy to the grid every time they switch on their lights, or power an amp. The staff training element can hard wire sustainability into every area of operations, and the vegan food option for back and front of house can make an immediate difference to our carbon impact.”

and are partnering with The University of Manchester and  in a £9m project that aims to convert CO2, waste and sustainable biomass into clean and sustainable fuels and products.

The partnership between two leading British universities, together with bp and Johnson Matthey, has been launched to explore transforming carbon dioxide, waste products and sustainable biomass into fuels and products that can be used across the energy and transportation sectors. The project is one of eight business-led Prosperity Partnerships announced today in support of the government’s ambitious new Innovation Strategy.

Cardiff University, an internationally-leading centre for catalysis research, is leading the project, and The University of Manchester will provide expertise in materials science, characterisation methods and catalysis. They are joined by bp, which is transitioning from an international oil company to an integrated energy company, and Johnson Matthey, a global leader in sustainable technologies. The partnership will devote the next five years to exploring new catalyst technology to help the world get to net zero.

Catalysts are involved in helping to manufacture an estimated 80% of materials required in modern life, so are integral in manufacturing processes. As a result, up to 35% of the world’s GDP relies on catalysis. To reach net zero, it will be critical to develop new sustainable catalysts and processes, which will be the main objective for the partnership to explore.

Professor Martin Schröder, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at The University of Manchester, commented: ”Net zero is too big a problem for a single institution to tackle on its own and it is critical that industry and academia work together to solve this challenge. Our University is committed to addressing this issue as part of the social responsibility agenda together with our partners. We value these interactions strongly, as shown by our commitment and success in the EPSRC Prosperity Partnership scheme. This collaborative programme builds on a platform of long-term partnership between The University of Manchester and bp through the .”

Professor Duncan Wass, Director of the Cardiff Catalysis Institute, said: “The catalysts we use today have been honed over decades to work with specific, fossil fuel resources. As we move to a low carbon, more sustainable, net zero future, we need catalysts that will convert biomass, waste and carbon dioxide into valuable products such as fuels and lubricants.

Working in this partnership, we will bring together a wide range of catalysis expertise to uncover new science and contribute towards achieving net zero - perhaps the most pressing objective for us all.”

Dr. Kirsty Salmon, bp vice-president for advanced bio and physical sciences for low carbon energy, said: “We are excited to be working with our longstanding partners Johnson Matthey, Cardiff Catalysis Institute and The University of Manchester in this Prosperity Partnership. It is a great team, which builds on our successful bp International Centre of Advanced Materials (bp-ICAM) partnership, and I am looking forward to seeing them work across scientific disciplines to innovate new low carbon technologies to help the world get to net zero.”

Dr. Elizabeth Rowsell, Corporate R&D Director, Johnson Matthey, added: “We are delighted to be part of the EPSRC-funded Prosperity Partnership which will help to deliver sustainable materials leading to increased circularity in industrial processes. This project will be critical in developing the next generation of enabling catalyst technologies that will be needed in a Net Zero world, so it is entirely aligned with the net zero commitments of both industrial partners.”

The Sustainable Catalysis for Clean Growth project has been co-funded with £2.68m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, and £5.65m from the companies and University partners. Commencing in October 2021, the work brings together industry experts from bp and JM with academics from Cardiff University and The University of Manchester in this interdisciplinary team.

The 41-page position paper entitled , sets out the steps needed to examine the possible roles for nuclear energy using an objective, well-developed economic assessment system.

Authored by the senior leadership team at , home to the largest and most advanced nuclear research capability in the UK, the paper considers nuclear in the context of the net zero challenge, in supporting the UK’s hydrogen ambitions and in delivering economic growth, through industrial development, jobs and in supporting the levelling up agenda.

It determines what policymakers and industry need to explore in order to take an informed decision based on a ‘best economics’ basis. This includes the development of advisory bodies, non-partisan modelling of the economic path, and the optimisation of R&D programmes.

Professor Francis Livens, director of The University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute explains: “Net zero by 2050 is such a massive challenge for this country that it is really all hands to the pumps. The reality is we need to explore all these options and evaluate them on a level playing field and come to an objective decision about ‘does nuclear have a part to play in our energy future or not?’.

“Either way the UK needs to move fast to resolve this question and take any opportunity that is there. If it continues to prevaricate, any opportunity will certainly be lost.”

Co-author Professor Gregg Butler continues: “We have developed this paper because we felt a responsibility as an impartial academic community to support our colleagues in government and industry. The UK has set a world–leading net zero target. But simply setting the target is not enough – we need to achieve it. Now is the time to take key actions which will determine the roles nuclear can play, recognising that they should only be adopted if they contribute to an optimised economic and environmental solution.

“We might know a lot about nuclear energy – but it’s got to be viewed as a candidate for helping to reach net zero – not as an end in itself.”

The paper has been co-authored by Dr William Bodel, Prof Gregg Butler and Prof Juan Matthews.

at The University of Manchester is a world-leading cross-disciplinary nuclear research institute, providing research across the whole fuel cycle, delivering impact to industry, governments and regulators, and supporting the UK’s long term nuclear ambition.

 is one of The University of Manchester’s  - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

A memorandum of understanding has today (March 30) been signed by the two organisations to kick start a major collaboration for the research and development of sustainable energy produced by fusion.

Fusion is a very attractive alternative energy source that, when commercialised, will generate electricity without greenhouse gases – with abundant fuel supplies around the world. The prospect of fusion energy generation becoming integrated in to the UK’s energy mix can offer secure, safe production for thousands of years to come.

Professor Francis Livens, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at The University of Manchester said: “This new collaboration in fusion complements and builds on our long term strength in nuclear research, will allow us to build important new research and training activities in Tritium Science & Technology and Digitalisation, and extend our exciting collaboration with UKAEA.”

 Sustainable low-carbon energy is needed and fusion can help meet this demand. Fusion has now reached the point where significant investment is being made internationally to develop a commercially viable solution. Work so far has been closely integrated with the European Fusion program and in the development of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in France.

Martin O’Brien, Head of University Liaison at the UK Atomic Energy Authority, said: “Many universities already work with us on a wide range of research topics. We are excited that The University of Manchester will now expand greatly its work with us in two key areas where progress is needed to deliver a fusion power station.”

Fusion energy is an area of national and international priority and has been explicitly identified in Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, and in the December 2020 Energy White Paper.

Through UKAEA, the UK Government has already committed £220 m over 4 years to develop the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) concept with the aim of building a power station based on the STEP design by 2040. This is an area where new research is required to address some of the significant challenges in realising STEP and will continue to be a focus of external investment.

This new agreement between The University of Manchester and UKAEA will see a significant addition to the University’s Dalton Nuclear Institute’s research activity, expanding what is already the UK’s largest and most connected academic provider of research and development. Two new research groups will now be established, with six new high quality academic appointments.

The University of Manchester has set ambitious goals to be zero carbon by 2038 and will eliminate avoidable single-use plastics by 2022.

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

, German research centre , , SAF producer  and The University of Manchester, have teamed up to start the pioneering ‘Emission and Climate Impact of Alternative Fuels’ (ECLIF3) project looking into the effects of 100% SAF on aircraft emissions and performance.

Findings from the study - to be carried out on the ground and in the air using an Airbus A350-900 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines - will support efforts currently underway at Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure the aviation sector is ready for the large-scale use of SAF as part of the wider initiative to decarbonise the industry.

Fuel-clearance engine tests, including a first flight to check operational compatibility of using 100% SAF with the aircraft’s systems, started at Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France, this week. These will be followed by the ground-breaking flight-emissions tests due to start in April and resuming in the Autumn, using DLR’s Falcon 20-E ‘chase plane’ to carry out measurements to investigate the emissions impact of using SAF. Meanwhile, further ground tests measuring particulate-matter emissions are set to indicate the environmental impact of SAF-use on airport operations.

The University of Manchester has been heavily involved in the development of the newly introduced regulations of non-volatile Particulate Matter (nvPM) from aircraft engines and has vast experience in measuring the currently unregulated volatile particulate emissions. Whilst the main focus of the work will be to determine the impacts of SAF on the regulated nvPM, the University will look to measure and understand the impacts of SAF on the volatile fraction. This is a key area of research as aviation regulators are examining whether the volatile PM should be subject to regulation.

Dr Paul Williams, Senior Research Fellow, The University in 91ֱ�� is working on the ground-based emissions study as part of the project: “This is an exciting opportunity to get a glimpse of the future emissions from aviation. SAF is going to be an important component of the aviator sector in the future, and being involved in ECLIF3 allows the University to assess the impacts, and hopefully the benefits.” he said.

Both the flight and the ground tests will compare emissions from the use of 100% SAF produced with HEFA (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids) technology against those from fossil kerosene and low-sulphur fossil kerosene.

The SAF will be provided by Neste, a leading worldwide supplier of sustainable aviation fuel. Additional measurement and analysis for the characterisation of the particulate-matter emissions during the ground testing will be delivered by the UK’s University of Manchester and the National Research Council of Canada.

“SAF is a vital part of Airbus' ambition to decarbonise the aviation industry and we are working closely with a number of partners to ensure a sustainable future for air travel,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy Programme Manager, Airbus. “Aircraft can currently only operate using a maximum 50% blend of SAF and fossil kerosene; this exciting collaboration will not only provide insight into how gas-turbine engines function using 100% SAF with a view to certification, but identify the potential emissions reductions and environmental benefits of using such fuels in flight on a commercial aircraft too."

Dr Patrick Le Clercq, ECLIF Project Manager at DLR, said: “By investigating 100% SAF, we are taking our research on fuel design and aviation climate impact to a new level. In previous research campaigns, we were already able to demonstrate the soot-reduction potential of between 30 and 50% blends of alternative fuels, and we hope this new campaign will show that this potential is now even greater.

“DLR has already conducted extensive research on analytics and modelling as well as performing ground and flight tests using alternative fuels with the Airbus A320 ATRA research aircraft in 2015 and in 2018 together with NASA.”

Simon Burr, Director Product Development and Technology, Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, added: “In our post-COVID-19 world, people will want to connect again but do so sustainably. For long-distance travel, we know this will involve the use of gas turbines for decades to come. SAF is essential to the decarbonisation of that travel and we actively support the ramp-up of its availability to the aviation industry. This research is essential to support our commitment to understanding and enabling the use of 100% SAF as a low-emissions solution.”

Jonathan Wood, Neste’s Vice President Europe, Renewable Aviation, added: “We’re delighted to contribute to this project to measure the extensive benefits of SAF compared with fossil jet fuel and provide the data to support the use of SAF at higher concentrations than 50%. Independently verified analysis has shown 100% Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel delivering up to 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil jet fuel use when all life-cycle emissions are taken into account; this study will clarify the additional benefits from the use of SAF."

Energy is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

This new study, from The University of Manchester’s and the (CAST), analysed publicly available policies of 66 UK universities to identify strategies related to long-distance business travel and catering. For each university, documents including Carbon Management Plans and Annual Reports, Travel Plans and Sustainable Food Policies were downloaded, catalogued and reviewed.

Long-distance business travel and catering (particularly meat-based meals) are substantial contributors to the carbon footprint of universities (and many other organisations), but are typically under-accounted for in carbon management planning. The collaborative research team set-out to understand the extent to which university plans and actions in these areas are commensurate with climate emergency declarations, and make recommendations to support setting sufficiently ambitious targets and actions.

The research, published today in , demonstrates that action on climate change in universities is extending beyond the familiar focus on energy related emissions to engage in more complex workplace practices, including long-distance business travel and catering. However, increasing sector-wide effort is unavoidable if universities are to fulfil their climate emergency declarations and align emissions reduction strategies with the UK Government’s net zero ambitions.

Lead author on the research paper, Presidential Research Fellow, Claire Hoolohan, The University of Manchester said: “Many universities omit, or only partially account for, business travel and food within their carbon management reporting. However, the importance of emissions in these areas is widely recognised and there is evidence of pioneer institutions setting targets and taking action to reduce emissions in these areas.

“Across the sector more action is required to reduce emissions. To support sector-wide action, this briefing note focusses on targets and actions that should be implemented to rapidly and substantially reduce emissions in these two areas, and contribute towards a low-carbon workplace culture.”

The UK’s Committee on Climate Change recognises aviation and agriculture as sectors where it is very challenging to reduce emissions. Mobility scholars have shown that aeromobility is deeply embedded in the institutional culture of Higher Education, with individual career progression and institutional standing linked to international mobility.

Similarly, for meat-eating, coordinated developments across production-consumption systems sustain meat-heavy diets, and this is no less true in workplace cafeterias and catering. Subsequently, reducing emissions requires the reconfiguration of professional practices and institutional policies to enable low-carbon transformation.

The research finds many universities planning to reduce emissions in these areas, but few have robust targets to support decarbonisation. Further it is action, not plans or targets, that reduce emissions and few universities have actions in place to reduce emissions across both areas. That said, there were examples of good practice in both areas, and future action could focus on the following:

Positive actions on flying and food for Universities:

• Review and define ‘essential travel’ to support staff in avoiding travel as much as possible.
• Maximise the number of engagements per trip, reduce the distance and frequency.
• Make train travel the default for journeys within a specified distance, with additional time and funding for long distance rail travel
• Focus on reducing trips of frequent fliers and recognise the differentiated travel needs of staff with children, care commitments and medical needs.
• Review University policies for contradictions that encourage flying
• Reduce meat, and replace with plant-based alternatives
• Make plant-based event catering the default to spark conversation and enable staff to try new meals.
• Experiment at sub-organisation level, then share learning and scale up

Professor Alice Larkin, Head of at The University of Manchester, said: “Higher education’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that rapid, deep and widespread changes are possible. The shifts in our academic activities that we've all experienced, as well as changes to how we've started to operate in new ways, present significant opportunities to establish alternative, more sustainable, practices.”

Perovskite solar cells have attracted interest because, unlike silicon solar cells, they can be mass produced through roll-to-roll processing. Additionally, they are light and colourful, with the versatility to be used in non-traditional settings such as windows and contoured roofs. However, up until now, application has been impacted by potential environmental risks. Perovskite solar cells contain lead, a cumulative toxin, and if the cells get damaged, lead ions may leak.

Taking lessons from nature, Professor Brian Saunders and Dr David Lewis have devised a way to eliminate the lead release from broken cells. Using a bioinspired mineral called hydroxyapatite, a major constituent of human bone, they have created a ‘failsafe’ which captures the lead ions in an inorganic matrix. As a result, if cells are damaged, toxins are stored in an inert mineral, rather than released in the environment.

In a dual success, The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ()-funded project found that through the addition of hydroxyapatite, the efficiency of perovskite solar cell increased to around 21%. This compares to around 18% efficiency for control cells with no added hydroxyapatite. An increased efficiency in panels means more energy can be generated and at a lower cost.

The research team hope that the cells will bring forward the large-scale application of perovskite solar cell technology. Professor Brian Saunders, Professor of Polymer and Colloid Chemistry at the , The University of Manchester, said: “Up until now, the substantial lead component in perovskite solar cells has been a potential environmental concern. If the solar cells are damaged, for example by hail, the ions may leak.

“By creating an in-device fail-safe system, we have devised a way to contain toxic ions in damaged perovskite cells. Through increasing the inherent safety of perovskite solar cells, we hope our research will provide a helping hand to the wider deployment of solar technology as we strive to achieve net zero CO₂ emissions.”

Dr David Lewis, Deputy Head of Department and Reader in Materials Chemistry, added, “We embarked on this research as we were committed to eliminating an environmental risk. That commitment has resulted in increasing both the sustainability and the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. We hope these dual outcomes will increase the viability for homes and businesses, worldwide, to host and use solar technology.”

The research was reported in: ‘Bioinspired scaffolds that sequester lead ions in physically damaged high efficiency perovskite solar cells’ in .

is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons