GLOBAL - Sustainable Energy through China-UK Research Engagement (SECURE)

In order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, and to meet the UK's commitment of reduction of 80% by 2050, it is necessary make major advances in efficient, clean and secure energy conversion and use. These advances will only be realised if concentrated international effort is made and the 'best' minds, facilities and equipment are brought together to tackle this global challenge. In order to tackle global greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary and important to develop collaborations between developed countries and developing/emerging economic countries, such as China, to help them control and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and their rapidly increasing energy consumption. In 2010, China became the 2nd largest global economy and also overtook the US in terms of energy use and greenhouse gas emitter (approx. 20% global final energy consumption). The projection is for this to continue to grow and this is a concern not only China but to the UK and the rest of the world. Over the last few decades China has acknowledge that this situation is not sustainable and they have invested heavily to make a step change in their capability in clean energy related research and taking significant measures to address security of supply. Large investment has been made in their research intensive universities and national institutes resulting in the development of internationally leading research groups with some of the best facilities and equipment now in place.
Collaboration and research engagement between the China and the UK is strategically important and mutually beneficial.

The Sustainable Energy through China-UK Research Engagement (SECURE) project will research innovative sustainable energy solutions to address these challenges and will bring together collaborating teams of international researchers with significant experience and expertise in a wide range of complimentary disciplines spanning engineering, physical science and social science. This will be achieved by strengthening existing research collaborations and also building new engagement activities between the Sir Joseph Swan Centre for Energy Research (SWAN) and a number of leading researchers and centres of excellence in China. In engagement terms, the objective is to foster long-term collaboration between outstanding research teams in the UK and China and to ensure there is a two way transfer of knowledge during the project. The aim is to coordinate targeted research and engagement addressing a number of important challenge themes building on exceptional capability. The specific objectives of the project will be to coordinate 10 research teams, brought together from the best research groups in SWAN with those from a limited number of outstanding research groups in China.

Enhanced research engagement between SWAN and the collaborating Institutions in China will be achieved through a series of research activities supported by workshops, and networking activities such as staff, postdoctoral and student exchanges. This engagement will be managed thematically and involve activities formulated to address specific research challenges facing secure, clean and efficient energy conversion and use.

The research and engagement activities in the SECURE project have huge potential to benefit a large cross section of society in the UK and China including academia, industry and society as a whole. Engagement activities will result in an integration of the expertise and capacities from both sides, forming a strong team to tackle the important challenge to achieving sustainable energy supply generate and to use energy sustainably. The collaboration will also generate revolutionary concepts and methods for sustainable energy in the future with the use of multidisciplinary technologies from the research collaboration. The engagement in research on the field of sustainable energy with the partners in China will improve and enhance UK and China competitiveness in the field of sustainable energy, which is a rapidly expanding market worldwide.

The work will further generate new research ideas and/or fundamental knowledge of the way to achieve sustainable energy supply, which will be of benefit to other researchers working in the areas, both in academia and industry. Other beneficiaries include UK plc through economic benefits such as the development of IPR (Intellectual Property Rights), employment, and the training of research staff. Also, society and commerce would benefit economically in the long term through reduced energy costs and reduced emissions if the 'sustainable energy supply' concept, accompanied by new development of the technologies, are subsequently commercialised.

Communication and engagement is a fundamental aspect of this project. Communications and engagement activities will include reciprocal short-term visits, sharing of facilities, data and knowledge, exchange of post-doctoral researchers, workshops, seminars and conferences. Engagement will not be limited to the academic community but will include industrial links, governmental organisations, local authorities and other stakeholders.

The results of the research engagement will be communicated to the academic and industrial research community as the project progresses. A key impact activity will be the development of publications in high-quality academic and industrial journals. The outcomes from the research will be released on a dedicated project website, which will provide a data sharing facility and will be a key dissemination tool through open access to progress reports, publications, and the advertisement of engagement activities. Finally each Theme will develop a 5 year engagement plan and a road map which will consider the short, medium and long term research needs and challenges in the technological area alongside the research capabilities This research engagement will set a solid foundation for further research collaboration on sustainable energy.