ProfessorRobert Gross

Overview
Interests:

Economics of energy technologies, particularly low carbon options

Decarbonisation of electricity, heat and transport

Path dependence and evolutionary economics

Integration of renewable energy and the evolution of energy supply infrastructures towards low carbon, resilient energy systems

Methodologies for assessing cost reductions and the future development of emerging technologies, particularly low carbon and GHG mitigation technologies

lnnovation, policy and the environment

Evidence based policy and practice in the energy arena, focused on systematic evidence reviews

Research activities:

Director of UK Energy Research Centre since March 2020

Co-Director of UK Energy Research Centre since 2004

PI on EPSRC consortium Network Engineering and Public Acceptance (In low carbon heat - weblink pending)

Co-I on IDLES (Integrated development of a low carbon energy system)

Previous Co-I on Hubnet, the electricity networks supergen hub, PV21, the photovoltaice supergen hub

Previous research activities have included energy/low carbon scenarios, techno-economic assessment of low carbon energy sources and systems, work on learning curves and other techniques to assess future technology prospects. I have a particular focus on understanding innovation systems and applying these to policy developments. My main areas of technological expertise are in wind and wave power, integration of renewable energy into electricity networks, tidal stream energy. However I also have interests in low carbon transport, carbon capture and storage and in conventional (fossil fuel) electricity technologies.

Research and consultancy funders include: EPSRC, ESRC, NERC, Lloyd's of London, SSE Plc, European Climate Foundation, WWF, BP Plc, BEIS, Committee on Climate Change and other government departments, Carbon Trust.