THEME 2:

Carbon reduction and energy efficiency

Government policy emphasises reducing carbon demand as a priority especially in the short term, whilst new low carbon energy generation systems are being developed.

Wales has research strengths in a number of areas. Energy efficiency for heating, cooling, ventilating and lighting systems in new and existing buildings is being researched. Smart metering in housing, and other building types, can produce considerable energy savings, as can reducing standby electrical use. There are major research activities on the development of computer models to predict energy demand for individual buildings and urban areas. There also needs to be research on reducing carbon emissions associated with the embodied energy and operational energy of built environment infrastructures, such as water, waste, and sewage systems, and in the effective reuse and recycling of energy and materials. Research on condition monitoring and control management for industrial and manufacturing industries will result in carbon reductions. There is also research waste heat from vehicles and the use of new materials to improve efficiency in motors, which, for example, can reduce the energy associated with white goods.

• Research priority 5 - Low/Zero Carbon Built Environment
• Research priority 6 – Large Scale Power Generation