At a joint UKERC-CXC event in Edinburgh on 3 October 2024 – Scotland’s energy transition: research and policy challenges – stakeholders from across the energy sector met to address energy policy and research priorities for Scotland and its transition to net zero.
Authors: Inês Crespo (CXC) and Mark Winskel (UKERC)
Nearly 100 people gathered at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute on 3 October to discuss recent research findings and policy developments on Scotland’s energy transition. The event was co-hosted by ClimateXChange (CXC) and the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). It addressed key parts of the Scottish Government’s forthcoming Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, including local, regional and community energy; building efficiency and retrofit; low-carbon heating; energy markets and networks; and a just energy transition.
Attendees included experts from academia, consultancies, energy companies and policymakers from the Scottish Government across different energy topics. CXC and UKERC designed the event to broaden understanding of Scotland’s energy transition, beyond specific areas of expertise. This encouraged experts and stakeholders to appreciate the challenges and opportunities involved from a wider perspective.
As well as formal presentations, the meeting allowed plenty of time for informal networking. The vibrant discussions during the breaks suggested that this was a valuable part of the day, as attendees exchanged shared interests and ideas.
Professor Rob Gross, Director of UKERC, said: “The event was a great opportunity to interact and engage across a very wide range of disciplines and topics.”
Professor Stuart Galloway, Director for Higher Education Institutions and energy theme lead at ClimateXChange said: “It was a very fulfilling day. The group of experts in the room were very active at the event and we should take that as a measure of success.”
Mel MacRae, Head of Energy Strategy and Markets Unit at the Scottish Government said: “Events like this stimulate essential cross sector collaboration and play a real role in catalysing action. We hope there will be more of these events in Scotland in the future and look forward to the forthcoming ignite discussion on electricity markets.”
The event was in-person only, to encourage interaction, but the sessions were recorded and we plan to release recordings on CXC and UKERC websites soon.
If you would like to get in touch with the event organisers, please contact Nicola Dunn (CXC) and James Curwen (UKERC).
Downloads available from the CXC website:
Agenda – Scotland’s energy transition: research and policy challenges
A copy of this blog first appeared on the CXC website.