Decarbonisation Network - Lent Term 2023 Update

Update from the University of Cambridge Decarbonisation Network:

As this academic term has come to a close, I wanted to use the opportunity to thank you for your interest in the Decarbonisation Network and provide a short update on the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) activities.

Event Summaries:

The Network has continued with its online panel discussions bringing together industry and academics to highlight key challenges and research opportunities within the SIGs. Links to the summary reports are below:

Light Harvesting SIG:

• Solar-power biology and the production of sustainable chemicals
• Potential collaborations for testing light harvesting technologies* (online scoping workshop).

Hard to Decarbonise Technologies SIG:

• Decarbonisation of transportation networks using Digital Twins
• How can Digital Twins help save CO2 in the manufacturing industry?

Built Environment SIG:

• Decarbonising the heating of the University estate
• Circular Economy in the Built Environment
• The report from last year’s road-mapping exercise has now been finalised: AI and Data for Decarbonising the Built Environment. If you have not done so already and are interested in any of the challenges outlined in the report, please let us know via the following survey.

Cambridge Festival:

•            What’s for dinner? The future of meat* (organised in collaboration with Cambridge Global Food Security)

*Report/link to be uploaded

Upcoming events (internal):

At the beginning of next academic term, the Network is hosting two in-person workshops. These scoping events aim to develop understanding of the University of Cambridge’s decarbonisation research landscape and identify where researchers can benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration and industry input. You are more than welcome to attend both events or just the one. We are hoping that the one will build upon the other and that both events form part of a longer term initiative that will help enable the Network to support academic strategic priorities going forwards.

• The Physical Sciences and Technology’s Role in Meeting Net-Zero (Friday 21 April, 10:30 – 12:30 followed by networking lunch)
  • Registration link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-physical-sciences-and-technologys-role-in-meeting-net-zero-tickets-594869258967
• How can the social sciences, arts and humanities help us decarbonise? (Wednesday 3 May, 14:00 – 17:00 followed by networking drinks and snacks)
  • Registration link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-can-the-social-sciences-arts-and-humanities-help-us-decarbonise-tickets-601582137367

Related activities:

• Internal: The Energy IRC has recently circulated an energy research mapping survey to capture new and existing energy research interests that actively focuses on any aspect of energy. If you have not already completed the survey, I encourage you to provide your input to capture the main energy activities across the University. Please complete the short survey here: https://forms.office.com/r/crR655f8z5. This survey will only take approx. 15 minutes to complete. 

• External: Professor Ying Jin from the University's School of Architecture (who chaired the Decarbonisation Network's session on Decarbonisation of Transportation Networks using Digital Twins) will be speaking at the Independent Transport Commission's forthcoming webinar exploring how UK cities can achieve their net-zero carbon transport roadmaps. Please find further details here.