Energy & Environment – Research & Innovation

WHY?

Transitioning to low carbon energy supply will prompt a substantial land use change across the world, with implications for ecosystems, at a time of increasing land use pressure and environmental decline.

WHAT?

Resolving and quantifying the co-benefits and co-costs of renewable energy infrastructure in our landscapes and using this knowledge to embed broader environmental benefits into the design, construction, operation and decommissioning.

HOW?

Working across disciplines and sectors to co-develop collaborative field, laboratory, modelling and desk-based research, innovation and consultancy projects and using the findings to change policy and practice.

UKERC

UKERC is a large whole system energy consortium. Within this, we are within the Energy, Environment and Landscape theme, focusing on resolving the impacts of energy systems on ecological systems with a focus on solar energy.
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EnergyREV

EnergyREV is a large consortium project focused on smart local energy systems, funded by the UK Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund as part of Prospering from the Energy Revolution. Our role is to further understanding of the environment impacts.
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Remote Sensing of Solar Park Impacts

This research is led by Guoqing Li, who is visiting Lancaster University from Ludong University, China, and focuses on resolving the environmental impacts of solar parks using remote sensing imagery.
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Strategically Integrated Renewable Energy and Environment Systems (SIRE)

The SIRE is an Industrial Innovation Fellowship awarded to Dr Alona Armstrong. The overarching aim of the project is to provide robust evidence to inform the strategic deployment of wind and solar energy across the UK delivering energy, environment and socio-economic benefits.
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Techno–ecological synergies of solar energy for global sustainability

Details means to deliver both energy and ecosystem benefits from solar energy deployments. Published in Nature Sustainability.

Post-print PDF
Journal page

Integrating environmental understanding into freshwater floatovoltaic deployment using an effects hierarchy and decision trees

Provides a framework to aid resolving potential water body impacts of floating solar photovoltaic systems. Published in Environmental Research Letters.

Journal page (open access)

Realising co-benefits for natural capital and ecosystem services from solar parks: A co-developed, evidence-based approach

Outlines a decision support tool that informs solar park management for ecosystem services and natural capital. Published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.