On Thursday 12 October Claire Perry, Minister of State for Climate Change, published the Clean Growth Plan which aims to stimulate economic growth while reducing carbon emissions to stay on track for its 2050 target to reduce emissions by at least 80% on 1990 levels. This follows her visit to Keele University earlier this year for a roundtable discussion on energy and environmental research.

Responding to the announcement, Dr Ian Madley, Head of Partnership Development for Natural Sciences at Keele University, said:

“We welcome the Clean Growth Plan, as it clearly outlines the Government’s strategy on reducing emissions, whilst positioning the UK as a leading authority in the world’s low-carbon crusade.

“At Keele University we know that smart energy is the key to lowering energy costs and increasing productivity and wider economic growth. This is why earlier this year Keele University launched its pioneering Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND)* project, which will be Europe’s first ‘at-scale’ living laboratory, where new energy-efficient and low carbon technologies can be researched, developed and tested in a real world environment.

“The programme, a world-class first, will enable businesses to develop, test and evaluate new energy technologies and allied services in order to assess their efficiencies, energy reduction, cost and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Through SEND, Keele University aims to become more energy self-sufficient with increased carbon saving, whilst also becoming a national research and development facility that undertakes world-leading research into environmental sustainability.”

‌Businesses, graduates or academics wanting to find out more can visit www.keele.ac.uk/send

*The SEND programme (Ref: 32R16P00706) is receiving upto £9,009,000 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and £4,560,000 from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).