Renewable Energy group hosts seminars on possible future energy mix

The events, organised by representatives from the University’s pioneering Renewable Energy research group, have been organised to showcase the innovations and developments currently taking place within the vital renewable energy sector, and to address the needs to modify the energy system.

More than 60 people, including neighbouring residents, local business people and students, were in campus to hear the inaugural seminar in late January.

Called Wave energy: tales from the front line it featured speakers from two leading developers of marine renewable energy, Aquamarine power and Fred Olsen Renewables. The event also featured a presentation by Falmouth Harbour Commissioners about the innovative Falmouth Bay Test site (FaBTest), an area of sea situated between 3-5km offshore in Falmouth Bay that is used by wave energy device developers to test components, concepts or full scale devices.

The most recent seminar, centred around the topic of Offshore Renewable Energy and Smart Grids, was recently hosted at Exeter's Penryn Campus, Cornwall. The event addressed the challenges faced by the UK’s regional localised energy generation and electricity networks, as they move towards an increase in  wind and other renewable sources in their energy mix.

In the next seminar, invited speakers will discuss current issues in Renewable Energy policy. This event will be hosted by Dr Peter Connor of the University of Exeter, in collaboration with the Energy Institue (www.energyinst.org), and takes place on Tuesday 18 March from 6pm – 8pm in Lecture Theatre 2 of the Peter Lanyon building, on the Penryn Campus. 

The final seminar in the series will see members of the solar research group at the University of Exeter Environment and Sustainability Institute, and guest speakers, discuss developments and potential for solar energy. This will be an afternoon event, taking place between 1-5pm on Wednesday, 26 March on the Penryn Campus . All are welcome.