Research theme- Energy and climate change

The University of Nottingham is leading international centre for energy research, with a reputation for excellence across a broad range of technologies including bioenergy, fossil energy, energy storage, the built environment and electrical grids.

To understand how engineers develop and how the public perceives new energy technologies, social scientists work with scientists and engineers.

Energy technologies have been developed in response to climate change but will also be affected by climate change and the increasing threats of extreme weather events. This again will have important social and political consequences.

Accordingly, members of the STS Priority Group study energy and climate change as both complex technical and social problems.

Key questions

• How do scientists and policy makers communicate about energy and climate change?
• What role do traditional and online media play in shaping public perception of energy, energy technologies and climate change?
• How do various social groups perceive issues around energy and climate change?

Key research areas

• Shale gas extraction (politics/opinion)
• Sustainable biofuels
• Water
• Carbon Capture and Storage
• Climate change as a complex social issue

NB. Some of this work overlaps with our emerging technologies research theme, as well as work carried out by the Energy Priority Group.