PLATFORM GRANT RENEWAL - ELECTRICAL ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050

这项更新平台拨款的提议是基于这样一种认识，即需要对英国能源基础设施进行重大改革，以实现可持续性、安全性、竞争力和消除燃料贫困的能源政策目标。我们对平台补助金更新的愿景反映了这些变化，以及对能源研究中更激进方法的需求。我们希望利用更新的平台补助金来调查英国到2050年及以后所需的能源基础设施。这将包括天然气和电力基础设施的技术方面，以及支持政策目标的监管途径。我们打算利用平台补助金的资源，允许进行投机性研究，以准备主要项目的资助投标，开发进一步的能源系统分析工具，并在短期资金缺口期间支持研究人员。我们特别重视平台资助在发展年轻研究人员职业生涯方面的灵活性，并打算继续鼓励研究人员在其职业生涯的适当阶段申请英国大学和工业界的永久职位。在我们看来，最初的平台赠款非常成功，有3位RAs支持英国大学的永久讲师，对理解如何将分布式发电整合到英国电力系统中做出了重大贡献。在平台资助期间，调查人员获得了超过750万美元的额外资金。在此期间，在IEEE Proceedings和IEEE Transactions上发表了21篇论文，并向DTI和OFGEM提交了7份主要报告。在英国，能源基础设施的未来架构是激烈辩论的主题。实现这一体系结构的路线甚至更加不确定。选择范围从完全分布式的微型发电到超大型可再生能源或其他低碳发电技术（包括核能）的整合。目前有许多针对微代的研究倡议，研究人员为其中一些项目做出了贡献。因此，更新后的平台赠款最初的研究重点将放在电力和天然气传输系统上，尽管平台赠款的灵活性将被用来保持对能源政策变化的响应。当然，我们意识到通过减少需求来减少需求的明显可取之处，但考虑到在运输中替代化石燃料的困难是如此之大，以至于如果化石燃料被保留用于运输，可能需要大量增加电力供应和运输能力来供应固定负荷。平台赠款资源将用于进行投机性研究，以准备主要项目资助投标，开发能源系统分析工具，并在短期资金缺口期间为研究人员提供支持。计划在帝国理工学院和曼彻斯特大学之间进行一系列的研究人员交流。平台补助金的灵活性将用于支持研究人员的职业发展，包括让他们有时间扩大他们的研究兴趣，学习新技术，并参与快速变化的能源研究场景。

This proposal for renewal of a Platform Grant is based on the recognition that major changes in the UK energy infrastructure are needed to meet the energy policy goals of Sustainability, Security, Competitiveness and the elimination of Fuel Poverty. Our vision for the Platform Grant renewal reflects these changes and the need for more radical approaches in energy research. We wish to use the renewed Platform Grant to investigate the energy infrastructure that the UK will need out to 2050 and beyond. This will include technical aspects of gas and electricity infrastructure but also regulatory pathways that will support the policy goals. We would intend to use the Platform Grant resources to allow speculative research to be undertaken in preparation of major project funding bids, to develop further tools for the analysis of energy systems and to support research staff during short term gaps in funding. We particularly value the flexibility of the Platform Grant for developing the careers of younger research staff and would intend to continue to encourage researchers, at a suitable stage in their careers, to apply for permanent posts in UK universities and industry. The initial Platform Grant was, in our view, extremely successful with 3 of the RAs supported now permanent lecturers in UK universities and a significant contribution made to the understanding of how Distributed Generation could be integrated into the UK power system. Additional funding in excess of 7.5M was held by the Investigators during the period of the Platform Grant. 21 papers were published in the IEE Proceedings and the IEEE Transactions during this period and 7 major reports were submitted to DTI and OFGEM. Within the UK, the future architecture of the energy infrastructure is the subject of vibrant debate. The routes to implementation of this architecture are even more uncertain. Options range from fully distributed micro-generation to the integration of very large scale (GW) renewable or other low-carbon generation technologies including nuclear. Presently there are a number of research initiatives addressing micro generation and the Investigators contribute to a number of these projects. Therefore the initial research focus of the renewed Platform Grant will be on electricity and gas transmission systems although the flexibility of the Platform Grant will be utilized to remain responsive to changes in energy policy. We are, of course aware of the obvious desirability of reducing demand through demand reduction but consider the difficulty of substituting fossil fuels in transport to be so great that a large increase in electricity supply and transportation capacity may be necessary to supply stationary loads if the use of fossil fuels is reserved for transport.The Platform Grant resources will be used to allow speculative research to be undertaken in preparation of major project funding bids, to develop tools for the analysis of energy systems and to support research staff during short term gaps in funding. A series of exchanges of research staff between Imperial College and Manchester is planned. The flexibility of the Platform Grant will be used to support the career development of research staff including allowing them time to widen their research interests, to learn new techniques and engage with the rapidly changing energy research scene.