Energy showcase at Heriot-Watt University

How do we keep Scotland’s energy supply secure, affordable and sustainable? Can Scotland unilaterally abandon nuclear energy? Should we develop shale? These are the questions that will be under discussion when more than 120 energy industry experts gather at Heriot-Watt University (HWU) on Monday 20 October to hear about how the latest research and partnership with Scottish and global energy businesses could drive innovation.

Delegates already registered to attend include representatives from the Scotmas Group; Selex Galileo; AMEC; the Crown Estate; Scottish Water; Grontmij and Heliex Power.

Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Director of the Energy Academy, will give a talk on the “Energy Trilemma” and discuss exciting initiatives launched at Heriot-Watt to foster sustainable university-business relationships.  Thematic presentations by Heriot-Watt University academics will include Energy and the Environment by Professor Hamish Mair; Energy, Distribution and Networks by Dr Edward Owens; Energy and Fossil Fuels by Dr Florian Doster; Energy and Materials by Nick Bennett and Energy and Marine Resources by Sandy Kerr, Programme Director at HWU’s Orkney campus.

A panel discussion during the afternoon will focus on the energy policies and strategies that may help secure Scotland’s economic future. As well as discussing nuclear energy and shale resources, the panel will discuss how significant a contribution wave and tidal energy can make to Scotland’s energy supply and how much recoverable oil and gas remains under Scotland’s waters.

Dr Edward Owens from the School of Energy, Geosciences, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt will chair the panel, which will include Stuart Brown, CEO of Flowave TT Ltd; Professor Gordon Hughes, Professor of Economics at University of Edinburgh; Professor Eric Mackay, Chair in Reactive Flow Simulation in the Institute of Petroleum Engineering at Heriot-Watt; Brian Richardson, Director of Sustainability, Greening the Market Ltd and Professor Sue Roaf, Professor of Architectural Engineering at HWU.

Speaking about the Energy Showcase, Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer said “Regardless of the direction of travel in terms of energy policy, most people would agree that it must be clear and consistent so that researchers, investors and developers can make robust decisions that allow future generations to inherit a stable and sustainable energy infrastructure based on effective and affordable technology.

“We’re looking forward to bring together academic research teams, companies that would benefit from new technologies, investors and policy experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities and the policies and strategies that we need to adopt to secure Scotland’s economic future.”

Also at the Showcase – and in partnership with Scottish Energy News - the university will launch the Heriot-Watt Scottish Energy News Young Researcher of the Year Awards.

The awards scheme will recognise outstanding research and contributions across fields such as Energy in the Marine Environment; Energy Materials and Storage and Energy Entrepreneurship.

Finally an evening event will give delegates an opportunity to hear from Bob Keiller, CEO of the Wood Group, and Jim Mather, the former MSP and Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism who is now a visiting professor at Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt universities.

Adapted from a press release by David Bizley

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/20102014/energy-showcase-at-heriot-watt-university/