On 7 October, UKRI will hold an event in Westminster showcasing projects that support the clean energy transition and the … read more

‘Accelerating electricity decarbonisation’ is a new report from the National Engineering Policy Centre that aims to provide insight and possible … read more

The report from the UK’s Electricity Networks Commissioner, Nick Winser, provides recommendations on how to accelerate the deployment of electricity transmission … read more

A study published in Science looks at in vivo fabrication of substrate-free organic bioelectronics.   Prof Tara Spires-Jones, President-elect of the … read more

Ofgem has published their report and recommendations on the UK power outage in August 2019.   Prof Keith Bell, Professor … read more

A study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, reports that electromagnetic fields have an impact on the internal … read more

Ofgem has launched an investigation into the national grid power outage in early August 2019.   James Robottom, Energy Lead, … read more

On Friday 9th August the UK experienced major electrical power failures effecting transport and infrastructure across the country.     Prof … read more

We’ve become accustomed to a reliable supply of electricity, but short, local power cuts still occur. And every year at this time we hear questions about whether we have enough power station capacity to meet demand – and about the risks of the ‘lights going out’. What causes power cuts and what can we expect in future? What will be the impact on reliability from changes in the electricity system from renewables and new nuclear, as well as the phasing out of coal power stations by 2025? What role will smart systems play, and what measures will be used to balance demand as well as supply? A new briefing document prepared by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) explores these questions and addresses the myths and truths about power cuts and blackouts. read more

New onshore wind farms will be excluded from a subsidy scheme from April 2016; together with planning and other changes, some say this could halt onshore wind in its tracks despite it being the cheapest source of clean electricity in the UK. Early closure of the renewable obligation subsidy and a review of feed-in tariffs will affect the future of solar. The ‘climate change levy’ now also applies to renewable energy sources, despite the fact they emit no net carbon. Scientists and engineers agree that the electricity sector needs to be decarbonised to meet UK climate targets. So where does this leave the technologies; and what future for renewable electricity in the UK? How will these policy shifts affect the UK energy mix, emissions and climate targets? And what messages does it send to investors and to climate negotiators in Paris? read more

Two major solar eruptions threatened to knock out communications systems, power supplies and even GPS navigation. read more

An independent report from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, in association with engineering firm Parsons Brinkerhoff and requested by the Infrastructure Planning Commission, was presented at the SMC. The report examines the costs of the different ways of transmitting electricity across the UK to inform upcoming planning decisions for updating the grid. read more

The white paper from the Department of Energy and Climate Change sets out proposed reforms to the electricity supply market. read more

Speakers from the National Grid briefed journalists on plans to introduce a new wind power forecasting system to help make the most of wind generation in scheduling and operating the electricity grid, as part of efforts to meet the UK’s target of generating 15% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by the end of the decade. read more

Steve Holliday, National Grid’s Chief Executive, delivered the Royal Academy of Engineering lecture ‘Power to the People’ on the evening of 1st March and the SMC invited him into the Centre to give his unique perspective on the challenge facing the energy industry as a whole, and answer journalists’ questions on how we can meet it in ways that are sustainable as well as affordable. read more

In this background briefing, UK experts on engineering, security, data protection and consumer engagement discussed smart meters and grids as a means of managing supply and demand of electricity in the UK, in the context of government plans to “establish a smart grid and roll out smart meters.” read more

A major new study by Cardiff University and Ipsos MORI has examined public perceptions of climate change and future electricity generation options, as well as for the first time beliefs about energy security. It is the first major piece of independent academic research on British public attitudes to climate change following the recent climate controversies. Lead authors of the research came to the SMC to brief journalists on their findings. read more

The new coalition government appears enthusiastic about electric cars, indicating early its intention to build a national charging network. But a new report from the Royal Academy of Engineering has highlighted the challenge faced by the UK in ensuring that the electricity supply system can cope with charging tens of millions of vehicles and still reduce carbon emissions from power generation. Lead authors on the report came to the SMC to discuss the problems – and great potential – in mass adoption of electric vehicles. read more

The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found evidence that electrical signals, such as those from mobile phone masts, are not responsible for the adverse health effects reported by sensitive individuals. read more

Journalists reporting on the Health Protection Agengy (HPA) electrosensitivity report needed more information, so we found scientists to add their comments to the debate. read more