UoN Energy Institute

28/06/2026

The UK's national is coming up soon and you can still register for the free online conference!

Launched in 2001, Net Zero Week is the UK’s official national awareness week, backed by both government and industry. They deliver the biggest net zero conference, attracting over 3,000 online delegates each year.

Let us know if you'll be attending!

Biggest Net Zero Conference for a Brighter Tomorrow.

26/06/2026

Nigel Topping, chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), said: “The U-turns are really damaging to inward investor confidence. If we really want to grow the economy, then investing and getting good at building stuff is essential.”

His intervention comes as the CCC published its latest report to parliament on Wednesday, on progress towards the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The report found that although the push towards renewable energy has gone well, and more people are switching to electric cars, the take-up of heat pumps has lagged behind severely.

Climate Change Committee chair Nigel Topping says U-turns damage investor confidence and disrupt businesses

29/05/2026

Industry leaders, trade unions and politicians discussed how to secure the funding for the Humber Hydrogen project.

National Gas, Centrica, Equinor and SSE Thermal are working together to develop a coordinated hydrogen network linking key sites across the area.

Labour MP Emma Hardy, who sponsored the meeting, said: "The Humber is the best place for Britain's first hydrogen network, which will bring jobs, investment and a huge potential for expansion.

The government money will go towards the UK's first hydrogen storage and transport network.

18/05/2026

A new research project will investigate an emerging, sustainable waste treatment technology based on smouldering combustion to efficiently treat nuclear graphite waste.

Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering have been awarded funding to explore the use of applied smouldering, or flameless combustion, as a novel thermal method to reduce nuclear graphite waste bricks to ash. This process will harness the energy contained within the graphite to destroy itself.

A new research project will investigate an emerging, sustainable waste treatment technology based on smouldering combustion to efficiently treat nuclear graphite waste.

13/05/2026

We’re pleased to share that Jo Darkwa and co-investigators John Calautit and Rabah Boukhanouf have secured £54,000 from the East Midlands Investment Zone Innovation Accelerator Fund for the ITESS-DH project. An additional £55,000 of industrial support has also been provided by NRG Sense Ltd
The project will assess a variable-temperature thermochemical energy storage system (VTTESS) for Nottingham’s district heating network, supporting the city’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2028.

The technology offers high energy density, low thermal losses and flexible long-duration heat storage, helping district heating networks better integrate renewable energy, waste heat and excess electricity while improving resilience and reducing peak demand.

The feasibility study will include site assessment, operational analysis and prototype calibration, with the goal of delivering a demonstrator-ready specification for future deployment.

10/05/2026

⚡ From clean energy installations in Nairobi to cutting-edge fusion manufacturing research, the latest edition of the Energy Institute newsletter showcases the growing impact of our community.

This semester’s highlights include:
🌍 Delivering reliable solar power to schools through the African SCENe project
🔬 Advancing fusion energy manufacturing and sustainable materials research
♻️ Building momentum around sustainable lab practices
🎤 A packed programme of major conferences, workshops and innovation events

Read how our researchers, partners and students are helping shape the future of low-carbon energy systems and delivering real-world impact across the globe.

http://eepurl.com/jDtHZg

Find out about the latest energy research, news and events taking place at the University of Nottingham.

01/04/2026

In the media: Energy Institute member, Dr Hafez Abdo, contributes expert commentary to a Channel 4 News FactCheck analysing whether reopening or expanding North Sea oil production could ease the UK’s current energy price pressures.

A number of prominent political voices have said drilling in the North Sea is the answer to the energy crisis. We’ve spoken to experts to find out more.

27/03/2026

The underground hydrogen transmission pipe will connect some of the country's most important industrial regions.

National Gas programme director for hydrogen, Corinna Burger, said the project would drive "decarbonisation of one of the nation's most strategically important industrial corridors".

It is hoped Project Union will become the blueprint for a national hydrogen network for Britain.

The pipline will run through Teesside, Yorkshire and the Humber and into the East Midlands.

03/03/2026

On Thursday morning, the Cornish plant will be switched on after nearly two decades in development which required Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) to drill the deepest on-shore well in the UK.

The water, super-heated by rocks, will help drive turbines to generate electricity for 10,000 homes, but will also provide the UK's first domestic supply of lithium - a critical mineral used in green technology.

Water super-heated by rocks will also provide the UK's first domestic supply of the critical mineral lithium.

17/09/2025

The research found that the emissions from any one of the 14 biggest companies were by themselves enough to cause more than 50 heatwaves that would otherwise have been virtually impossible. The study shows, in effect, that those emissions caused the heatwaves.

Study shows how individual fossil fuel companies are making previously impossible heatwaves happen and could have to pay compensation