My research is about local government strategies for investment in low carbon energy. I am a member of Heat and the City. Access our research on sustainable heating for low energy buildings and cities at https://heatandthecity.org.uk.

At a glance: Jan Webb and I reflect on the supportive public policy needed for Making local authority energy ambition a reality in the UKERC Newsletter (June, 2020).

Current Research Projects

Multi-level Governance and Energy Demand

We are examining how devolved, regional and local authorities are responding differently to goals of low energy, low carbon development and building retrofit. The research contributes to the Policy and Governance theme in the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS).

Our blog Taking stock of the role for local action on clean energy in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts (Oct, 2019) reflects on significance of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committe 2019 report Clean Growth: Technologies for meeting the UK’s emissions reduction targets for local action on clean energy.

Project team: Professor Dan van der Horst (GeoSciences, Edinburgh), Professor Jan Webb and Mags Tingey.

Doctoral Research

Local Governance of Energy Initiatives: Struggles in Assembling Value

Supervisors: Professor Jan Webb, Dr Dave Hawkey, and Dr Faye Wade

Previous Research Projects

Local Engagement in UK Energy Systems

We examined the current and future contribution of local authorities to a low carbon, affordable and secure UK energy system. LEUKES ran from 2014-2018 (with a pilot study in 2013).

The Main Report is available here. The blog Local Authorities play key role in providing clean energy for all summarises our findings (Nov, 2017).

Heat and the City

Led by Professor Jan Webb and funded by the RCUK Energy Programme, Heat and the City explored sustainable heating provision in urban areas. We had a particular focus on heat networks. It ran from 2010 to 2014.

Our 2016 book Sustainable Urban Energy Policy: Heat and the City is based on the research.

Journal Articles

Lane M, van der Horst D, Tingey M, Smith C, and Webb J (2020) Social innovation in the shadow of policy failure: Energy efficiency in self-build housing. Global Transitions, 2, 180-189 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glt.2020.08.001

Tingey M, and Webb J (2020) Governance institutions and prospects for local energy innovation: laggards and leaders among UK local authorities. Energy Policy, 138, 111211, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2019.111211

Van Veelen B, Pinker A, Tingey M, Taylor Aiken G, and Eadson W (2019) What can energy research bring to social science? Reflections on 5 years of Energy Research & Social Science and beyond. Energy Research and Social Science, 57, 101240 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101240

Creamer M, Eadson W, Van-Veelen B, Pinker A, Tingey M, Braunholtz-Speight T, Markantoni M, Foden M, and Lacey-Barnacle M (2018) Community energy: Entanglements of community, state, and private sector. Geography Compass,  12(7) e12378 https://doi.org/10.1111/gec3.12378

Webb J, Hawkey D, McCrone D, and Tingey M (2016) House, home and transforming energy in a cold climate, Families, Relationships and Societies, 5(3), p411-429 https://doi.org/10.1332/204674316X14758447787663

Webb J, Hawkey D, and Tingey M (2016) Governing cities for sustainable energy: The UK case, Cities, 54, p28-35 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2015.10.014

Books

Hawkey D, Webb J, Lovell H, McCrone D, Tingey M, and Winskel M (2016) Sustainable Urban Energy Policy: Heat and the city. Abingdon: Routledge

Recent Reports and Policy Briefs

Tingey M, and Webb J (2020) Net zero localities: ambition & value in UK local authority investment. Glasgow: Energy Revolution Research Centre and University of Strathclyde Publishing. ISBN 978-1-909522-59-6

Wilson C, Jones N, Devine-Wright H, Devine-Wright P, Gupta R, Rae C, and Tingey M (2020) Common types of local energy system projects in the UK: EnergyREV Policy Briefing June 2020. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde

Wilson C, Jones N, Devine-Wright H, Devine-Wright P, Gupta R, Rae C, and Tingey M (2020) Common types of local energy system projects in the UK. Glasgow: EnergyREV and University of Strathclyde Publishing. ISBN 978-1-909522-657

Fuentes González F, Webb J, Sharmina M, Hannon M, Pappas D, and Tingey M (2020) Characterising a local energy business sector in the United Kingdom: participants, revenue sources, and estimates of localism and smartness. EnergyREV Local Energy Businesses and Financial Practices Working Paper August 2020. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Kuzemko C, Britton J, and Tingey M (2019) Local Sustainable Energy Taskforce: Policy Briefing March 2019. Warwick: University of Warwick

Tingey M, and Webb J (2018) Who else will need to deliver? The role of community and local institutions. In: Lloyd H. eds. A distributed energy future for the UK: An essay collection. London: Institute for Public Policy Research

Hawkey D, Tingey M, and Webb J (2018) Workshop report International workshop on public ownership of energy. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Webb J, Tingey M, and Hawkey D (2017) What We Know about Local Authority Engagement in UK Energy Systems: Ambitions, Activities, Business Structures & Ways Forward. London, UK Energy Research Centre and Loughborough, Energy Technologies Institute

Tingey M, Webb J, and Hawkey D (2017) Local Authority Engagement in UK Energy Systems: Highlights from Early Findings. Loughborough and London: The ETI and UKERC

Tingey M (2017) Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategies and Regulation of District Heating: Workshop report to Scottish Government. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

All outputs are on our research website

Research groups

• Heat and the City
• University of Edinburgh Energy and Society Network
• UK Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions CREDS
• UK Energy Research Centre UKERC
• European Sociological Association (RN12 Environment & Society)
• Researching the Interface between Policy and Practice for Local Environmental Sustainability RIPPLES