EPSRC - Energy Research Senior Fellow

在能源需求不断增加、气候变化威胁以及英国燃料储备不断减少的背景下，挑战是找到可靠、多样化、可持续、负担得起、公众可以接受和安全的能源供应和使用方式。这是政府十年科学和创新投资框架以及最近就2004年支出审查达成的协议中强调的一个优先事项。预计在2005-06年度至2007-08年度期间，研究理事会可用于能源研究的资金总额将从目前的每年约4,000万美元增加到每年超过7,000万美元。自2005年4月以来，EPSRC一直代表所有研究理事会领导能源研究。预计增加的大部分支出将用于EPSRC支持的工程和技术研究领域，但也将延伸到更广泛的能源研究问题，包括社会经济、环境和生物。2003年能源白皮书《我们的能源未来创建低碳经济》列出了政府的能源政策，其中包括四个新目标：到2050年使英国走上削减约20%的碳排放的道路，并在2020年前取得实际进展；保持能源供应的可靠性；促进英国及其他地区的竞争市场，帮助提高可持续经济增长的速度和提高生产率；为了确保每个家庭都有足够和负担得起的供暖，白皮书还包括到2010年10%的电力来自可再生能源的目标。减缓气候变化已被政府确定为英国目前面临的最紧迫的挑战之一。在解决这一政策时，以EPSRC为首的研究委员会，已经确定了一个有4个目标的总体能源计划：支持全面的能源研究，帮助英国实现2003年能源白皮书规定的目标和指标与其他人合作，为能源相关企业和其他主要利益攸关方的研究和研究生培训需求做出贡献提高国际知名度和英国能源研究组合内的国际合作水平扩大英国大学在能源相关领域的研究能力。协调能源计划将在EPSRC内负责战略领导和专门的计划管理，以确保现有和新能源投资之间的一致性，以及与其他利益攸关方和实际和潜在的资金合作伙伴。EPSRC将在推动这一可持续能源议程方面发挥明显的带头作用，与其他人一起涵盖全面的能源研究问题，并为未来10年的能源研究提出明确的愿景。这将使英国成功地开发、拥抱和利用可持续和高能效的技术和系统，使其能够在2020年前实现能源和环境目标。来自2004年支出审查的额外资金将用于大幅扩大对必要的研究和培训的支持，以支持所有未来的能源选择，包括可再生能源、化石燃料的改进和更清洁的使用、保持核选择的开放和解决较长期的聚变问题。一个关键方面将是减少或消除对化石燃料依赖的技术的工程和科学方面。这项活动的一个关键部分是建议任命一名能源高级研究员来支持这一领域，并担任英国能源研究的高级大使，收集有关国际研究发展和机会的情报，并为能源研究计划实现国家和国际知名度和协调。这位研究员将向EPSRC的研究和创新总监Randal Richards教授汇报工作，虽然不行使直接的行政职责，但将对研究预算的投资和整个能源计划的方向产生重大影响。他或她将作为大学的任职人员，在他或她自己的研究领域保持活跃，并仍有资格申请EPSRC研究项目资金。这一角色将不可避免地涉及大量的海外旅行。

Against the backdrop of increasing energy demands, the threat of climate change and the UK's dwindling fuel reserves, the challenge is to find reliable, diverse, sustainable, affordable, publicly acceptable and safe ways to supply and use energy. This is a priority highlighted in the Government's 10 year Science and Innovation Investment Framework and in the recent settlement for the 2004 Spending Review. The Research Councils' total funding available for energy research is expected to expand over the 2005-06 to 2007-08 period from its present level of around 40 million a year to more than 70 million a year. Further growth is anticipated beyond the current spending review period.Since April 2005, EPSRC has had the lead for energy research on behalf of all the Research Councils. Much of this increased expenditure is expected to be in the engineering and technology research areas supported by EPSRC but it will also extend to a wider range of energy research issues including socio-economic, environmental and biological.The 2003 Energy White Paper Our energy future creating a low carbon economy set out the Government's policy on energy with four new goals:To put the UK on a path to cut its carbon emission's by some 20% by 2050 with real progress by 2020;To maintain the reliability of energy supplies;To promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond, helping to raise the rate of sustainable economic growth and to improve productivity; andTo ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated.The White Paper also included the target that, by 2010, 10% of electricity should come from renewable sources. Mitigation of climate change has been identified by the Government as one of the most pressing challenges that the UK faces today.In addressing this policy, the Research Councils, led by EPSRC, have identified an overall energy programme with 4 objectives:To support a full spectrum of energy research to help the UK meet the objectives and targets set out in the 2003 Energy White PaperTo work in partnership with others to contribute to the research and postgraduate training needs of energy-related business and other key stakeholdersTo increase the international visibility and level of international collaboration within the UK energy research portfolioTo expand the UK university research capacity in energy related areas.The co-ordinated energy programme will have strategic leadership and dedicated programme management within EPSRC to ensure that there is coherence between existing and new energy investments and engagement with other stakeholders and actual and potential funding partners.EPSRC will take a clear lead in driving forward this sustainable energy agenda, engaging with others to cover the full range of energy research issues and delivering a clear vision for energy research over the next 10 years. This will see the UK successfully developing, embracing and exploiting sustainable and energy efficient technologies and systems to enable it to meet energy and environmental targets by 2020. Additional funds from the 2004 Spending Review will provide for the substantial expansion of support for the research and training necessary to underpin all future energy options including renewables, improved and cleaner use of fossil fuels, keeping the nuclear option open and addressing fusion for the longer term. A key aspect will be the engineering and scientific aspects of the technologies that will reduce or remove reliance on fossil fuels. A key part of this activity is the proposal to appoint an energy senior research fellow to champion the area and be a high level ambassador for UK energy research, to gather intelligence on international research developments and opportunities and to achieve national and international visibility and co-ordination for the Energy research programme. The Fellow will report to the EPSRC's Director Research and Innovation, Professor Randal Richards and while not exercising direct executive responsibilities will have significant influence over the investment of research budgets and the direction of the overall Energy programme. He or she will be expected to remain active in his or her own research field, as a University post-holder, and will remain eligible to apply for EPSRC research project funding. The role will inevitably involve considerable overseas travel.