Lancaster University researchers are to work with members of the public and policymakers to understand how the UK can reduce its demand for energy.

Professor Rebecca Willis and Dr Janine Morley of Lancaster Environment Centre will undertake the work as part of a new £15 million ‘Energy Demand Research Centre’ funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Fundamental changes are needed in society to enable energy demand reduction and wide use of low-carbon technologies. Energy demand reduction will improve energy security, reduce household energy bills and address climate change.

Reducing energy use could help meet half of the required emissions reductions we need to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

A new national Energy Demand Research Centre 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, based at the universities of Sussex and Newcastle, will investigate how domestic, industrial and transport energy demand reduction can be delivered on a local and national level across the UK.

Other partners on the Centre include the universities of Cardiff, Edinburgh, Imperial, University College London, Leeds, Manchester, Reading, Strathclyde, and Surrey.

Professor Willis will be working with a team of energy modellers from the University of Leeds and University College London, to develop a demand-side model of the UK’s energy system.

“Most energy models start from energy supply, looking at all the different ways of generating power and heat, but not asking questions about why we need it,” she said. “Demand-side models instead start by asking ‘what do we need energy for, and how can we shape energy use to bring down emissions of greenhouse gases and improve wellbeing?’ This question goes to the heart of people’s lives and aspirations, and so it is crucial to involve people in decision-making.”

Professor Willis and colleagues from the centre will establish a Citizens’ Panel on energy demand, so that a representative group of citizens can work alongside policy experts to plan futures that work for people.

Professor Willis said: “Reaching our climate ambition of net-zero emissions doesn’t just rely on getting the expert analysis right. We also need to make sure that plans work for people, and fit with their lives. Through this new Centre, we will combine technical energy modelling with a first-of-a-kind Citizens Panel on energy demand, so that people’s own views and lived experience can take centre-stage.

“I’m delighted to be working with an interdisciplinary team of energy demand experts from twelve UK universities, to provide vital evidence for government and business on how we can reach climate targets, develop the economy and improve people’s lives.”

Dr Morley’s work will focus the governance of energy demand. Working alongside researchers from the universities of Leeds and Sussex she will look at how greater political feasibility of energy demand policy might be achieved and how the ways in which policies are formulated and understood matters.

“Our work will examine the connections between governance processes and the content of policies,” she said. “One aspect of this is how policies might be framed to better harness, and potentially go beyond, the benefits of improved efficiency. Another aspect concerns the roles of local and national government policies with respect to social changes, such as those explored in demand-side models and as will be discussed in the Citizen’s Panel.”

The investment in the Energy Demand Research Centre is part of a £53 million investment by UKRI into six research centres that will drive forward change in the energy system and help to meet the UK’s net zero target by 2050.

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.”