Current Research Projects

• Local Engagement in UK Energy Systems

Local Engagement in UK Energy Systems project is co-funded by the Energy Technologies Institute and part of the UK Energy Research Centre Phase 3. The research examines the current and future contribution of local authorities to a low carbon, affordable and secure UK energy system. I have lead responsibility for data collection and analysis including development of a database which holds information on energy and carbon plans and investments in energy initiatives for all UK local authorities (building on a pilot study), and completing case studies with 40 UK local authorities. Case studies examine their engagement with sustainable energy through development of a single energy project and through exploring factors relevant to their broader approach to energy and carbon management.

Our 2017 Highlights Report is available here.

The research builds on a pilot study on Local Engagement with Energy Systems which involved mapping the extent of local authority energy and carbon plans and energy projects (see report here). This was done by creating a new database using holding information on local authority activity in energy systems for all UK local authorities.

Doctoral Research

• PhD, part-time, Working Title: ‘How does the market instrument of Best Value shape Local Governance of energy initiatives?’

My research concerns the capacity of local government actors to assemble investment in low carbon energy systems. Specifically, I am examining the interactions of market-based governance with local authority energy initiatives using economic sociology concepts of ‘valuation’ to investigate valuation practices in developing local sustainable energy projects. I am using the Best Value framework for local government as one object of investigation.

Supervisors: Professor Jan Webb and Dr Dave Hawkey

Knowledge exchange networks

I currently support the Scottish Heat Network Partnership Practitioner Group (with Dave Hawkey) and have also been the support officer for the UK district energy vanguards network, a UK-wide knowledge exchange network whose core consists of local authorities and housing associations actively developing or operating district energy systems.

In the blog post Running Public Consultation events: Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies and Regulation of District Heating we give our reflections on the Consultation on Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategies, and Regulation of District Heating held by Scottish Government in association with the Heat Network Partnership Practitioner Group.

Previous Research Projects

• Heat and the City

For our Heat and the City project I worked on householder surveys looking at experiences of heating, and of a newly installed district heating system in Glasgow and community heating in Edinburgh. Heat and the City is led by Professor Jan Webb and funded by the RCUK Energy Programme.

Project brochure is available here.

Short article about the householder survey published in the ESRC Britain in 2015 is available here (download the Environment section for 2015).

In the blog post District heating: can we fix the plumbing of cities for sustainable futures? we discuss the implications of heat networks and how more sustainable heating provisions can be created. It draws on the book Sustainable Urban Energy Policy: Heat and the City published by Routledge in 2016 (see below).

Publications

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

Articles

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) (Special Issue on Families, Relationships and the Environment: Climate Change, Sustainability and Biodiversity), 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 (Special Issue on Cities, Energy and Climate Change Mitigation), p28-35 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2015.10.014

Reports

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: Draft workshop report to Scottish Government. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Contributor to: Hawkey D (2016) District Heating coordination and development: Workshop report. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Hawkey D, Tingey M, and Webb J (2015) Next steps for district heating in Scotland: Workshop report. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Contributor to: Hawkey D (2014) District Heating and Regulation in Scotland: Workshop report. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Hawkey D, Tingey M, and Webb J (2014) Local Engagement in UK Energy Systems. Loughborough: UK Energy Technologies Institute

McCrone D, Hawkey D, Tingey M, and Webb J (2014) Bringing Warmth to Wyndford: Does the new district heating make a difference? Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Contributor to: Hawkey D (2013) District Heat Policy Options in the UK: Workshop report. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

McCrone D, Hawkey D, Tingey M, and Webb J (2013) Bringing Warmth to Wyndford: The experience of owner-occupiers. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Webb J, Tingey M, and Hawkey D (2013) Next Steps in Financing District Energy: Workshop report. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

McCrone D, Hawkey D, Tingey M, and Webb J (2012) Bringing Warmth to Wyndford: Wyndford Survey Preliminary Results. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

All reports are available at the Heat and the City website http://www.heatandthecity.org.uk/

Consultation responses

Webb J, Hawkey D, Bush R, and Tingey M (2017) Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategies, and Regulation of District Heating Response to Consultation from the Heat and the City Research Team, University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Bush R, Hawkey D, Kerr N, Tingey M, Wade F, and Webb, J (2017) SEEP consultation response: Energy Strategy - Scotland's Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) National infrastructure priority for energy efficiency. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh

Watson J, and Winskel M, ed (2017) 'Scottish Energy Strategy: The Future of Energy in Scotland', UKERC response. London: UKERC

Presentations

Mapping UK local authority engagement in energy systems development (pdf). Heat and the City autumn academic workshop - Sustainable Heating Provisions and Cities: Theory, Practice and Future Implications, Edinburgh, October 2014.

Local Engagement in Energy Systems Development. IRCS-SENSE Summer School Urban Transitions to Sustainability, Reims, France, June 2014.

Local engagement in energy in the UK. New Directions Edinburgh Sociology staff-student conference, Edinburgh, April 2014.

Research groups

I am member of the following:

• University of Edinburgh Energy and Society Research Group
• University of Edinburgh Network for Early Career Energy Researchers
• UK Energy Research Centre UKERC
• Researching the Interface between Policy and Practice for Local Environmental Sustainability RIPPLES