Conference Programme

In association with:

Energy for a Net Zero Society
achieving a green recovery
and a just transition

	DAY 1 Tuesday March 30 2021
09.45	Conference Registration
	Blavatnik School of Government, 120 Walton St, Oxford, OX2 6GG
	**Keynote Address: Energy for a Net Zero Society**
11.00	The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister of State, Dept for BEIS
	First Plenary Session: Keeping warm and staying cool in a net zero society Our societal need to keep warm and stay cool in homes and workspaces drives a major slice of current greenhouse gas emissions. To reach net zero we will need to transform energy systems for heating and cooling. Analysis suggests that this will be hugely challenging, involving a range of solutions across different regions, building types and end users. Big questions around how to deliver heat load in winter without excess cost of idle capacity in summer, the right combination of building efficiency improvement, new fuels (hydrogen, bio-methane, steam, etc.) and potentially a range of seasonal storage and flexibility remain to be resolved. Now with the adoption of a net zero target, is a timely moment for strategic new thinking around how to shape markets, share costs, harness UK capabilities and reconcile regional priorities to deliver zero carbon energy for buildings.
	Jonathan Brearley, CEO, OFGEM
	*‘Challenges in heat decarbonisation’*
	Dr James Richardson, Chief Economist, National Infrastructure Commission
	Other speakers tbc
12.40	Questions and Discussion
13.00	Lunch
14.00	First Parallel Session – Dialogue & Paper Sessions
	Transitions in fuel. Technology and infrastructure for heating	Options and costs of using hydrogen for heating Dr Paul Dodds, UCL
		Heat Network Delivery Structures for a Net-Zero Future: A Qualitative Assessment of Future Challenges Michael-Allan Millar, Hoare Lea
		Technological phase-out experiences in the Energy Sector: Using historic and international analogues to inform ‘net zero’ heat decarbonisation policymaking in the UK Dr Niall Kerr, University of Edinburgh
	Human capital, competing interests and willingness to pay	Balancing act: How to align social and environmental interests in the light of the pandemic and in the pursuit of net zero Sharon Darcy, Sustainability First
		The human capital implications of net zero on the energy sector workforce Rob Murphy, Energy & Utility Skills
		Heat and energy efficiency zoning for a just transition Charlotte Owen, Association for decentralized energy
	Distributional impacts and behavioural change in energy efficiency	Conclusions from the DEePRED project – distributional impacts of Time-of-Use tariffs Dr Timur Yunusov, School of Built Environment, University of Reading
		Rebound effects erode half the energy savings from improved energy efficiency: Implications for the Net Zero transition Dr Paul Brockway, University of Leeds
		Paper TBC
	Dialogue Session	The 6th Carbon Budget: Industrial opportunity or threat? Prof Peter Taylor, University of Leeds
	Dialogue Session	Will citizen participation promote or prohibit an equitable energy transition? Dr Rebecca Ford, University of Strathclyde and Fraser Steward, University of Strathclyde
	Dialogue Session	The UK Sixth Carbon budget – an outward-looking model for an NDC? Jenny Hill, Committee on Climate Change
15.30	Tea
16.00	Second Parallel Session – Dialogue & Paper Sessions
	Whole system and change considerations for Electric Vehicles	Keeping the car clean: smart EV charging to minimise carbon emissions and wind curtailment Dr James Dixon, University of Strathclyde
		Can the Market Alone deliver EV charge points? Claire Thornhill, Frontier Economics
		Interplay of policy experimentation and institutional change in the development of Mobility as a Service in Finland Dr Paula Kivimaa, University of Sussex
	Local and community energy in transition	Local Values & Business Models: a look at energy services Dr Ralitsa Hiteva, SPRU, University of Sussex
		Policies for a UK community energy revolution Dr Timothy Braunholtz-Speight, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester
		Willingness to pay for small-scale solar power in urban neighbourhoods: The role of environmentalism and technophilia Prof Kristina Ek, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
	National and international scale issues in decarbonisation	The role of interconnectors in decarbonising Great Britain’s electricity system Dr Waquas Bukhsh, University of Strathclyde
		Understanding overlapping climate policies: Internal carbon leakage and the punctured waterbed Dr Robert Ritz, University of Cambridge
		Paper TBC
	The evidence from social science and education	Using qualitative social science to investigate the desirability of decarbonisation pathways: evidence from the FLEXIS project Prof Karen Henwood, Univ Cardiff
		Exploring Impact of Social Norms on Adoption of Local Generation in an Urban Environment Dr Palavi Roy, Ryerson University, Canada
		Paper TBC
	Dialogue Session	“Electric cars: prone to disruption by something else entirely?” Roger Hunter, Shell
	Dialogue Session	Energy innovation policy – what works? Maarten Hage, Vivid Economics
17.30	Student and Young Energy Professional Session
19.00	Conference Drinks and Dinner – After Dinner Speaker
	Worcester College, 1 Walton St, Oxford OX1 2HB
	DAY 2 Wednesday March 31st2021
07.45	Conference Registration (single day delegates)
	Blavatnik School of Government, 120 Walton St, Oxford, OX2 6GG
08.00	Diversity and Skills Breakfast Session
	Dr Maureen Paul, OFGEM
	Other speakers tbc
09.00	Opening Address: Energy for a Net Zero Society
	Laura Sandys CBE, Challenging Ideas
09.20	Second Plenary Session: *Mobility in a net zero society* The electrification of personal transport now seems inevitable. The substantial electrification of road freight is also possible, though dependent on how the technology options, including batteries, catenaries and hydrogen, develop. There remain many other uncertainties along the way, depending on developments in road and charging infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, shared ownership, flexible working in time and place, and smart grids. But it is not just a technology story. What is the contribution to emissions reduction from changes on the demand-side? Experience in the COVID-19 lockdown has demonstrated big increases in remote working, and in cycling. How might these develop? How much further can business travel adjust? Finally, what are the options for aviation and shipping, and – in respect of the former – for constraining demand.
	Chair: Spencer Dale, Chief Economist, BP plc
	Richard Bruce, Director of Energy, Technology and Innovation, Department for Transport
	Prof Jillian Anable, Chair in Transport and Energy, ITS, University of Leeds
	Gloria Esposito, Head of Projects, Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership
10.20	Questions and Discussion
11.00	Coffee
11.30	Third Parallel Session – Dialogue & Paper Sessions x 6
	Public investment, innovation and industrial strategy	An evaluation of public investment project portfolios in smart energy innovation Dr. Sivapriya Mothilal Bhagavathy, University of Oxford
		Decision support tool for improving energy and environmental performance of public sector multi-energy systems Dr. Muditha Abeysekera, University of Cardiff
		Remanufacturing: a pathway to net zero Dr Helen Roby, University of Coventry
	The democratic process and scenario planning	Democracy and Electricity: Institutions, Industrial Representation and Technology Deployment Rates Dr. Zeynep Clulow, University of Cambridge
		Energy for a Net Zero Society – Comments on Energy Policy Catalina Guillen Rozo
		Developing energy scenarios for net zero futures Claire Copeland, SPRU, University of Sussex
	Energy market developments – sandboxes, system operators and blockchain	Regulatory sandboxes: how to design them to help deliver net zero? Alexandra Schneiders, UCL, Energy Institute
		What do regional energy systems operators look like in a net zero world? Matthew Rhodes, Camirus Ltd
		Blockchain Based Energy Trading: Regulatory Changes Proposed and Needed to Facilitate Blockchain in the GB Energy Market Aditi Tulpule, ELEXON
	Social factors – the visual landscape and socio-economic disparities	Exploring the implications of landscape visual impact of renewable technologies for future low carbon energy systems in Great Britain Prof Russell McKenna, Technical University of Denmark
		Addressing the socio-economic disparities of net zero transition Dr. Piera Patrizio, Imperial College London, Centre for Environmental Policy
		Paper TBC
	Dialogue Session	Recosting Energy Steve Jennings, PWC
	Dialogue Session	The ‘Glide Path’ to Net Zero Prof Neil Strachan, UCL
13.00	Lunch
14.00	Third Plenary Session: *Jobs prosperity and production in a net zero society* Industrial activities and commercial operations have distinct bespoke requirements in terms of heat and motion they derive from the energy sources they use. This affects all aspects of the productive economy from energy intensity, carbon footprint, innovation and employment. The way these needs can be met in future will determine how zero carbon processes are embedded in the macro economy, and will explore where there are tensions in terms of the cost to GDP of decarbonisation, as well as the opportunities that may arise for the zero carbon economy to be more efficient than the high carbon one. Finally the session will ideally cover the financial implications of the decarbonised economy and, in particular the different options for the required investment to be raised: whether from the private sector, governments or consumers. This has implications for the structure of society – how to make the zero carbon society works for all and no-one gets left behind due to, for example, financial or digital exclusion.
	‘Net Zero: the Investment and Cost Story’
	Chris Stark, CEO, The Committee on Climate Change
	*‘Powering the zero carbon economy’*
	Paul Spence, Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs, EDF Energy
	Arup speaker tbc
15.20	Questions and Discussion
16.00	Tea and Close