SERL Research Programme projects
Projects carried out by SERL Consortium partner institutions as part of the original SERL EPSRC award.
- DEDEUS: Describing and Explaining Domestic Energy Use in Scotland (University of Edinburgh)
- Domestic Operational Rating (DOR): Development, Programming and Testing (Loughborough University)
- Identifying wintertime comfort in UK homes (Leeds Beckett University)
- SERL Annual Report project (University College London)
- Social Housing Research on Energy from Welsh Data (SHREWD) (Cardiff University)
- The short and long-term impact of COVID-19 on building energy demand and future decarbonisation (UCL/CREDS)
- Understanding domestic building thermal efficiency with smart meter data (University College London)
- Understanding habitual energy consumption (University of Southampton)
SENS project – these trials were carried out as part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Smart Energy Savings (SENS) competition which used the SERL portal to provide energy data to help evaluate the various trials.
External projects
Projects funded from outside the SERL consortium that use the SERL data and infrastructure.
Institution: University of Bath
Project researcher: Samuel Hampton
Funder / grant reference: ESRC ES/V015133/1
Project description: ACCESS seeks to understand what it will take for the diverse UK population to become more ‘carbon capable’. How can low carbon lifestyles be made fulfilling, desirable, affordable, and accessible to all? This project addresses this question through four tasks. Task 1 will combine insights from a nationally representative survey with analysis of SERL data. Task 2 will involve in-depth qualitative research with (1) social housing tenants; (2) digitally excluded people aged over-60; and (3) micro businesses. Task 3 will develop a theoretical model for carbon capability, and Task 4 involves co-creating solutions with stakeholders.
Institution: Loughborough University
Project researcher: Stephen Watson
Funder / grant reference: Active Building Centre Research Programme
Project description: Project to develop a model of Active Buildings based on monitored data. Active Buildings make use of local generation, storage and load-shifting to modify demand/supply in response to external signals. This will enable greater integration of renewables and reduce the need for upgrading grid infrastructure. Assessing the benefits of Active Buildings requires a model giving high temporal resolution (e.g. half-hourly). This model will be based on monitored data, capturing the patterns of demand found in real buildings.
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: University of Aberdeen
Project researchers: Russell McKenna, Febin Lachirayil
Funder/grant reference: PhD Research
Project description: The general objective of this project is to obtain a better understanding of the interactions between the decentralized energy system (of the future) and the centralized energy system (of today), especially in the context of energy modelling. The specific objective is to better understand what is today referred to as the domestic “demand side” in general, but in the future will be less distinct and much more flexible, incorporating large amounts of local storage capacities. The focus is on two or all of the following aims:
- Develop domestic heat and electricity load profiles and their potential evolution in the future, especially within the context of more decentralized generation, reducing future heat demand in buildings due to more efficient building fabric and changing householder behavior.
- Investigate the effect of scale on load profiles and energy autarky, and the effects it may have on the overarching energy system, by considering both heat and electricity demand at a higher spatial resolution.
- Analyse demand response and load shifting, which are likely to have profound effects on the domestic load profiles in the future, as households encounter variable tariffs and automatic real-time optimization of their generation and demand becomes possible through increased local energy storage.
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: University of Edinburgh
Project researchers: Martin Pullinger, Nigel Goddard, Jonathan Kilgour, Lynda Webb
Funder/grant reference: ESPRC EP/V042955/1
Project description:
DISPATCH is a 3-year, EPSRC-funded project to identify socially just and efficient pathways for decarbonising heating and cooling in the UK. This SERL-based component of DISPATCH will describe typical patterns of heating and cooling energy use in several physical building types common in GB, identifying the impact of different heating and cooling systems and building envelopes within each. The typical change in energy use under different changes in heating/cooling system and building envelope will be estimated. Results will feed into the wider project as well as into published outputs relevant to stakeholders involved in UK heating and cooling decarbonisation.
Project website: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/projects/decarbonisation-pathways-for-cooling-and-heating-dispatch
Institution: University of Strathclyde
Project researchers: Jethro Browell, Ciaran Gilbert, Bruce Stephen, Rory Telford.
Funder/grant reference: EP/S030131/1
Project website: https://www.amidine.net/about-amidine/amidine-people/
Lead institution: University College London
Project researchers: Eoghan McKenna, Ellen Webborn, Jessica Few, Despina Manouseli, Callum Cheshire, Harry Masters, Alex Whittaker.
Funder/grant reference: Western Power Distribution (WPD) Venice Project (funded by Ofgem via the Network Innovation Allowance)
Project description: Understanding the impact of the pandemic on residential electricity consumption will have two benefits for electricity distribution network operators. The first benefit of the project will be to understand how customers in vulnerable situations have responded to the pandemic, and whether the pandemic has exacerbated vulnerability. It is a network operator’s responsibility to ensure vulnerable customers’ energy needs are cared for, and so understanding the impact of the pandemic on those customers will be vital to understanding what kind of care and which types of customers they will need to prioritise in the future.
The second benefit will be at a distribution network level; being able to understand customers that have changed energy consumption behaviour during the pandemic will have wider network planning impacts. In particular, being able to identify the extent to which this behaviour might persist in the future will mean being able to better identify future stress on the network, and make more efficient planning decisions, ultimately leading to lower costs for consumers.
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: University of Oxford
Project researcher: Nick Banks
Funder / grant reference: BEIS Heat Pump Ready Phase 1
Project description:
This project aims to use advanced cluster analysis techniques to:
- Derive distinct thermal energy demand profiles and then calculate the impacts of adoption of heat pumps on energy demand.
- Link technical and socio-economic attributes and capabilities with each demand profile.
- Analyse how each heat pump demand profile could be shifted based on each household’s technical, economic and social capability profile and the various interventions available.
- Map projected demand profiles at postcode level.
The main benefits are improved understanding of:
- The impacts of mass adoption of heat pump technology.
- The most effective means of facilitating adoption of heat pump technology.
Institution: University of Reading
Project researcher: Mehdi Shahrestani
Project description: The aim of this study is to develop a model to manage the energy consumption in buildings and reduce the pressure from the electricity network when we have the uptake of heat pump technology. The following are the objectives of the research:
1. Review of the existing model for the demand side management in buildings.
2. Investigate the pattern and profiles of energy demand using the smart meter data.
3. Identify the main drivers of energy demand in buildings available considering EPCs and weather data as well as published work on the impact of social practices on energy demand.
4. Developing a numerical model to manage the energy demand under different scenarios for controlling the heating and hot water systems in buildings to avoid
increasing electricity demand in peak hours of energy demand.
5. Evaluation of the model through the identification of the uncertainties in the model and carrying out a set of sensitivity analysis.
Institutions: UCL, Frontier Economics
Project researchers: Ellen Zapata-Webborn, Eoghan McKenna. Jessica Few, Gesche Huebner, Martin Pullinger, Simon Elam. Callum Cheshire, Harry Masters, Alex Whittaker.
Funder/grant reference: National Grid Electricity Distribution
Project description: This project aims to estimate the impact of the Cost-of-Living Crisis (CoLC) on energy use and energy bills in GB homes. Using SERL data we’ll compare electricity and gas use during autumn/winter 2022/23 with counterfactuals that predict what would have happened had energy prices and the cost of living not increased significantly since the previous year. SERL survey data that asks about energy behaviour changes in response to the CoLC will help explain any changes we see, and identify the most popular energy-saving behaviours. Tariff data will show how bills have changed.
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: University of Salford
Project researchers: Diyar Alan, Ioannis Paraskevas
Funder/grant reference: PhD research
Project description: In response to the climate crisis, the UK extended the 80% carbon reduction to Net-Zero greenhouse gases by 2050. Domestic space heating is recognized as a major contributor to greenhouse gases, therefore requires attention. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were created by Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) to address efficiency, which is said to be empirical and inaccurate at times. A quantified Heat Transfer coefficient (HTC) can be estimated using smart meter data to verify the EPC ratings. HTC value can be used to measure the effectiveness of retrofitting and quality of building materials.
Project website/contact: https://www.salford.ac.uk/our-staff/diyar-alan
Institution: University of Surrey/BEIS
Project researchers: Kavin Narasimhan, Nigel Gilbert
Funder / grant reference: BEIS Net Zero Digital, Data Social Science ESRC Policy Fellowship
Project description:
This project will:
1) Explore how energy price changes (including the energy price cap which sets out the amount energy suppliers can charge per kilowatt hour of electricity and gas each year) affects demand. Because of various geopolitical factors and the pandemic, the energy price cap has increased significantly in recent times and is set to increase further in the coming months. The term ‘price elasticity’ refers to change in the quantity of a resource (e.g., energy) corresponding to a change in price. This project would estimate the price elasticity of residential energy demand.
2) Explore and scope out how the SERL database can be used to inform the evaluation of UK energy policy.
Institutions: University of East Anglia, Loughborough University
Project researchers: Andrew Burlinson, Monica Giulietti
Funder/grant reference: UKERC/ESRC/EPSRC, see: Gas price volatility: distributional impacts and mitigations | UKERC | The UK Energy Research Centre
Project description: Concerns are growing in the UK and in other European countries about the social and economic implications of recent unprecedented increases in the level and volatility of energy prices. This raises questions about how governments and other economic actors might mitigate these negative impacts over the short- and the long-term. This project will assess the impact of policy measures aimed at increasing consumers’ resilience to energy price volatility, including those specifically directed at vulnerable consumers. It will also consider whether more robust legal and institutional mechanisms are required to maintain the credibility of the energy regulation system
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: UCL
Project researchers: Eoghan McKenna, Ellen Zapata-Webborn, Jessica Few, Gesche Huebner, Martin Pullinger, Simon Elam, Clare Hanmer,
Funder / grant reference: Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
Project description: The aim of this project is to produce insights and aggregated statistical data about GB household energy consumption trends drawing on analysis of smart metered electricity and gas consumption data provided by SERL Observatory participants, investigating how household energy consumption changes over time, and the possible causes of this change. This project will make these insights and data available to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to provide an evidence base for public policy decision-making.
Contact: [email protected]
Lead institution: University College London
Project researchers: Kentaro Mayr, Paolo Agnolucci
Funder/grant reference: PhD project
Project description: The UK government implemented multiple policies of varying severity to ameliorate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these public health measures require households to significantly change their day-to-day behaviour, thus affecting their energy consumption patterns. This research project aims to investigate how these measures affected household electricity and gas consumption. Heterogeneity in the time of introduction of restrictions across regions can be exploited to identify the causal/treatment effect of each. Ultimately, this research aids policymakers and academics in understanding the contribution of each health measure on household energy consumption.
Contact: [email protected]
Institutions: UCL, Urbantide Ltd
Project researchers: Ellen Webborn, Eoghan McKenna, Simon Elam
Funder / grant reference: UKRI/Innovate UK: 97728 Supporting fuel poor households through data integration and AI
Further information: https://www.ukri.org/news/ukri-announces-net-zero-driven-energy-data-application-winners/
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: Imperial College London
Project researchers: Jacek Pawlak, Faghih Imani Ahmadreza, Aruna Sivakumar,
Funder/grant reference: EPSRC EP/R045518/1
Project description:
The IDLES programme aims to provide the evidence needed to facilitate a cost-effective and secure transition to a low-carbon future. It aims to create a modelling tool that can better coordinate the complex interactions within the energy domain and indicate optimal forms of future, integrated, energy systems to policy makers. It has the potential to enable large cost savings in providing decarbonised energy, to ensure security of supply and compliance with emissions targets. Energy consumption, exploitation of demand flexibility, stakeholder investment decisions, market design, incentivisation and policy objectives will all be considered in the programme’s analysis.
Project website: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/energy-futures-lab/idles/
Institution: University of Oxford
Project researcher: Philipp Grunewald
Funder / grant reference: EPSRC EP/M024652/1
Project description: Learning from changes in energy use patterns when adopting new technologies and practices can inform and accelerate the transition of net-zero living. This project learns from smart meter and contextual data about empirical changes in demand and seeks to develop models for feedback to reinforce and accelerate the uptake of best practice.
Proect website: https://www.energy-use.org/about.php
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: UCL, Centre for Sustainable Energy
Project researchers: Charlotte Johnson, Sam Homan, Martin Pullinger
Funder/grant reference: National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO)
Project description: The Smart and Fair research programme explores social justice in the future (smarter) energy system and aims to influence national policy and industry practice to ensure the UK’s low carbon energy transition is built on principles of fairness and equality. We are working with stakeholders across the sector, including government, industry, and non-profits, to ensure the research programme addresses current policy issues and provides policy-relevant tools and insights. We have a number of funded projects that sit within the research programme that are live at the moment. Accessing the SERL dataset will allow us to base our analysis on the most up-to-date, high quality, real-world energy consumption data. The SERL dataset is especially attractive for this research project due to the fact that it has linked granular energy consumption data with people/buildings survey data.
Contact: [email protected]
Institutions: UCL, DNV
Project researchers: Martin Pullinger, Chris Bell, Simon Elam
Project description: This project aims to develop a smart meter leak detection system capable of identifying potentially dangerous household gas leaks and further the evidence base regarding the safety of hydrogen as an energy vector. On average, there are 31 gas explosions in UK homes every year – causing at least 13 fatalities in the last 5 years. Developing a detection system based on already-collected smart meter data could reduce the impact of gas leaks without the cost of installing new systems. Increasing the safety of the gas network would help support a transition to a hydrogen network and towards the goal of Net Zero.
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: Imperial College London
Project researchers: Shefali Khanna, Mirabelle Muuls, Ralf Martin
Funder / grant reference: EPSRC EP/R045518/1
Project description: This project will use half-hourly energy consumption data from smart meter users in the UK to assess how residential electricity and gas usage responds to weather shocks. The analysis will compare the responsiveness of electricity and gas usage across households located within a Government Office Region. Using household survey and EPC data, we will study the factors that drive greater responsiveness to weather changes. Mapping this baseline potential for load shifting will help policymakers and regulators efficiently target policies that incentivise households to shift their electricity consumption to the hours when the grid is the least carbon intensive and switch from using gas to electricity for cooking and heating. Finally, we will examine how product attributes such as cost and energy efficiency as well as household and housing-unit characteristics predict adoption and usage of large electric appliances and heating systems. Our empirical estimates will be used to parameterize engineering models that simulate the energy system under alternative climate policy scenarios.
Contact: [email protected]
Institution: University College London
Project researchers: Paolo Agnolucci, Chrysanthi Rapti, Hamid Nejadghorban, Abraham Lartey, Kentaro Mayr, Simon Elam, Eoghan McKenna, Ellen Webborn, Frances Hollick.
Funder / grant reference: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
Project description: The Green Homes Grant (GHG) is a £2bn UK Government scheme to fund and target the delivery of energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating for homes in England with the aim of delivering a green recovery from COVID-19 which will facilitate the transition to net zero emissions by 2050. The GHG schemes include the Green Homes Grant Vouchers (GHGVS), Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery (GHG-LAD), and the Social House Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator Schemes (SHDF(D)).
UCL has been appointed by the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy to scope the cross-cutting evaluation of GHG schemes and provide early insights into their impact as well as estimate the impact of the GHGVS on energy consumption.
Institution: University of Birmingham
Project researchers: Grant Wilson, Joseph Day
Funder / grant reference: Innovate UK: Regional Energy Systems Operator
Project description: The aim of the Regional Energy Systems Operator project is to provide a detailed design for the city of Coventry’s energy system to help meet its decarbonisation targets. It is one of ten detailed design studies funded under Innovate UK’s Prospering from the Energy Revolution. The design’s target year is 2032, and considers the mix of technologies, required infrastructure and also the governance structures of achieving this.
The Work Package from the University of Birmingham titled ‘Data Foundations’ provides cross-cutting support to the wider project on data including a more detailed understanding of existing and future energy flows in Coventry.
Further information: https://www.coventry.gov.uk/home-energy-warmth/reso