EPSRC – Water-Energy-Food Nexus
Duncan Shermer
July 2012
EPSRC - Budget
Budget for research will drop
dramatically in financial year 2013-14
There is a relatively large budget for
training in 2013-14
But this reflects the new call for
CDTs going live
EPSRC – Water Priorities
Water Engineering
Technologies related to water resource management,
treatment and distribution systems
Investment in this area will be Grown relative to the rest of
the portfolio (current value ~£16m) over the CSR period
Research underpins key global societal challenges
Many reports indicate how important this area is
Multidisciplinary area encompassing chemistry, process
engineering, civil engineering as well as social, biological and
environmental science
EPSRC will support high quality basic research in this area
Research should be long-term, ambitious and creative
Impacts made by research in this area could be potentially
transformative
www.epsrc.ac.uk/ourportfolio/researchareas/Pages/watereng.aspx
EPSRC – Water Priorities
Coastal and Waterway Engineering
Engineering of coastal and waterway structures,
management and defences
Investment in this area will be Maintained relative to the
rest of the portfolio (current value ~£16m) over the CSR
period
Research underpins key global societal challenges
Key investment in this area has been the FRMRC
There is now an opportunity to take research in this area in new
directions
EPSRC will focus on long-term, ambitious and creative research
Will look to broaden the portfolio beyond flooding into integrated
water management and form stronger links with the Water
Engineering Portfolio
www.epsrc.ac.uk/ourportfolio/researchareas/Pages/waterway.aspx
EPSRC – Broader Priorities
Living With Environmental Change
Water and Infrastructure highlighted as a priorities
Resilient national infrastructure, water security and protection from
extreme events (e.g. flooding)
Energy Challenge Theme
Energy Efficiency (Grow)
Whole Energy Systems (Grow)
Water-Energy Nexus
This is “on our radar”
Potential activity currently being scoped