Thermal Energy Challenge Network

应对气候变化、提供能源安全和提供可持续能源解决方案是民间社会面临的主要挑战。这些挑战的社会、环境和经济成本意味着，必须将研究重点放在改善热能的转化和利用上。大量的研究和开发正在继续进行，以减少能源消耗，并提供具有成本效益的解决方案，旨在帮助英国实现到2050年将温室气体排放量减少80%的目标。热能性能的改善通过降低能源成本、减少排放和增强能源安全对工业产生影响。提高效率和减少排放是提高生产力、支持经济增长和保持全球竞争力的制造业所必需的。在英国，住宅和商业建筑约占英国非交通能源总使用量的40%，其中空间供暖和热水占住宅能源使用量的近80%和商业能源使用量的60%。在过去的40年里，热能需求持续增长，尽管家庭热能效率一直在提高。热能转换和利用的改善可减少排放，降低工业和家庭消费者的成本，并支持更稳定的能源安全状况。在英国，热能（加热和冷却）是我们社会中最大的能源使用，由于气候变化，冷却需求将增加。在多学科层面应对热能挑战的必要性至关重要，因此，这个新建立的网络将支持技术，社会，经济和环境挑战以及潜在的解决方案。必须考虑到目前和未来与热能有关的经济、社会、环境和立法障碍和激励措施。热能挑战网络将支持协同增效的办法，为改进以前在很大程度上被忽视的热能的可持续利用提供机会。这一办法可以大幅度减少能源需求，但要做到这一点，合作和联网是必不可少的。与工程师，物理科学家和社会科学家以多学科方式合作的技术解决方案的组合是必不可少的，这将得到热能挑战网络的鼓励和支持。

Tackling climate change, providing energy security and delivering sustainable energy solutions are major challenges faced by civil society. The social, environmental and economic cost of these challenges means that it is vital that there is a research focus on improving the conversion and use of thermal energy. A great deal of research and development is continuing to take place to reduce energy consumption and deliver cost-effective solutions aimed at helping the UK achieve its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. Improved thermal energy performance impacts on industry through reduced energy costs, reduced emissions, and enhanced energy security. Improving efficiency and reducing emissions is necessary to increase productivity, support growth in the economy and maintain a globally competitive manufacturing sector. In the UK, residential and commercial buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of the UK's total non-transport energy use, with space heating and hot water accounting for almost 80% of residential and 60% of commercial energy use. Thermal energy demand has continued to increase over the past 40 years, even though home thermal energy efficiency has been improving. Improved thermal energy conversion and utilisation results in reduced emissions, reduced costs for industrial and domestic consumers and supports a more stable energy security position. In the UK, thermal energy (heating and cooling) is the largest use of energy in our society and cooling demand set to increase as a result of climate change. The need to address the thermal energy challenge at a multi-disciplinary level is essential and consequently this newly established network will support the technical, social, economic and environmental challenges, and the potential solutions. It is crucial to take account of the current and future economic, social, environmental and legislative barriers and incentives associated with thermal energy. The Thermal Energy Challenge Network will support synergistic approaches which offer opportunities for improved sustainable use of thermal energy which has previously been largely neglected. This approach can result in substantial energy demand reductions but collaboration and networking is essential if this is to be achieved. A combination of technological solutions working in a multi-disciplinary manner with engineers, physical scientists, and social scientists is essential and this will be encouraged and supported by the Thermal Energy Challenge Network.