Beginning Monday 5 August, the CEE’s Director of Policy, Dr Sean Field, began a twelve-month secondment with the UK’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). At DESNZ, Sean will be Lead Analyst for the UK’s flagship £19 million energy transition pilot, the Local Net Zero Accelerator, announced 30 November 2023.
The aim of the Accelerator is to help local authorities advance their energy transition projects, which are essential for meeting the UK’s climate targets. The programme has three pillars:
- two local net zero accelerator pilots with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
- a city leap replicator with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, with the aim of replicating a similar, successful model in Bristol.
- a centralised finance support service that will give the pilots access to financial and commercial knowledge to support their projects and attract private investment
In this new and exciting role, Sean will leverage his interdisciplinary research expertise and build on his various roles – from leading the CEE’s policy portfolio to leading the Financial Pathways branch of the Scottish Research Alliance for Energy Homes and Livelihoods.
On his secondment, Dr Field said, “This is a really exciting opportunity to bring research expertise from the CEE into the workings of government on a vitally important topic at a time when transition is at the forefront of government policies”
