PLATFORM GRANT RENEWAL - ELECTRICAL ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2050

这项续签平台赠款的建议是基于这样一种认识，即英国能源基础设施需要进行重大改革，以实现可持续、安全、竞争力和消除燃料贫困的能源政策目标。我们对平台拨款续签的愿景反映了这些变化以及在能源研究中需要更激进的方法。我们希望利用更新的平台拨款来调查英国在2050年及以后将需要的能源基础设施。这将包括天然气和电力基础设施的技术方面，但也包括支持政策目标的监管途径。我们打算利用平台赠款资源，允许在准备重大项目资金投标时进行投机性研究，开发更多分析能源系统的工具，并在短期资金缺口期间为研究人员提供支持。我们特别重视Platform Grant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合适阶段申请英国大学和行业的长期职位。在我们看来，最初的Platform Grant非常成功，其中3个RAS现在支持英国大学的永久讲师，并为了解如何将分布式发电整合到英国电力系统做出了重大贡献。在平台赠款期间，调查人员持有超过750万美元的额外资金。在此期间，在IEE会议记录和IEEE会刊上发表了21篇论文，并向DTI和Ofgem提交了7份主要报告。在英国国内，能源基础设施的未来架构是激烈辩论的主题。实现这一架构的路线更加不确定。选择范围从完全分布式微型发电到整合超大规模(GW)、可再生能源或包括核能在内的其他低碳发电技术。目前，有一些针对微型发电的研究倡议，研究人员为其中一些项目作出了贡献。因此，新的平台赠款最初的研究重点将是电力和天然气传输系统，尽管平台赠款的灵活性将被用来继续对能源政策的变化作出反应。当然，我们知道，通过减少需求来减少需求显然是可取的，但我们认为，在运输中替代化石燃料的难度如此之大，以至于如果将化石燃料保留用于运输，可能需要大幅增加电力供应和运输能力，以供应固定负荷。平台赠款资源将用于允许进行投机性研究，以准备重大项目资金投标，开发能源系统分析工具，并在短期资金缺口时支持研究人员。帝国理工学院和曼彻斯特之间计划进行一系列研究人员交流。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研究兴趣，学习新技术，并参与快速变化的能源研究领域。

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.