Programme
AI for Decarbonisation’s Virtual Centre of Excellence (ADViCE)
AI for Decarbonisation’s Virtual Centre of Excellence (ADViCE) is aimed at the development of innovative artificial intelligence technologies for decarbonisation applications to support the transition to net zero.
As part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, the Artificial Intelligence for Decarbonisation Programme has been set up to support and promote the adoption of Artificial Intelligence decarbonisation solutions for industries.
Part of Stream 1 of this larger (AI for Decarbonisation) innovation programme, Artificial Intelligence for Decarbonisation’s Virtual Centre of Excellence (ADViCE) is aimed at the development of innovative artificial intelligence technologies for decarbonisation applications to support the transition to Net Zero. This stream is being delivered by a collaborative consortium including Digital Catapult, Energy Systems Catapult and the Alan Turing Institute.
Overview
The broader ambition of the centre of excellence is to coordinate and engage with AI and decarbonisation stakeholders across high-emitting sectors. This initiative is designed to foster cross-sector collaboration, define key challenges that are tractable to AI solutions, and disseminate information to relevant stakeholders. By facilitating the dissemination of knowledge, ADVICE aims to coordinate AI innovations efforts directed at decarbonisation applications.
The virtual centre of excellence will act as the front door for all collaborators, participants and contributors to foster a vital ecosystem which will:
- Disseminate information publicly and to relevant networks
- Identify strategic and priority challenges for AI innovation for decarbonisation
- Provide pathways to leverage private funding
ADViCE Knowledge Base
The ADViCE programme has a Knowledge Base that is regularly updated. Through the Knowledge Base, you will be able to find resources such as:
- ADViCE reports.
- Previous ADViCE webinar recordings
- ADViCE challenge cards.
- Plus other resources, such as Expert Working Group reports and analysis pieces on new AI for Decarbonisation legislation and governance.
You can access the Knowledge Base through the link below
Sectors & stakeholders
Sectors
ADViCE will focus on exploring innovation opportunities and addressing barriers for adoption within four key sectors with large carbon footprint, and thus which are key to unlocking a net zero future for the UK. Sectors of particular focus are:
- Agriculture
- Built Environment
- Energy
- Manufacturing
Stakeholders
Active stakeholder participation across these sectors is essential to promote broader adoption and diffusion of AI decarbonisation applications across the UK. ADViCE is specifically designed to encourage collaboration and engagement from:
- UK industry/companies (potential AI adopters) looking to decarbonise
- AI developers and innovators building for decarbonisation and net zero
- Investment community
- Local government authorities
- Regulatory authorities
- Academia and research centres
How to get involved
The ADViCE consortium will be delivering a range of webinars and convening working groups to facilitate the necessary discussions that will accelerate the adoption of AI for decarbonisation solutions.
We want these groups and initiatives to represent and reflect the community of stakeholders involved in the areas of AI for decarbonisation, from policy through to research and innovation.
Expert Working Group
The ADViCE Expert Working Group plays a critical role in bringing together key stakeholders across the UK’s AI for decarbonisation landscape, aligning perspectives from across AI development, government, regulation, decarbonisation innovation and academia. The group focuses on the key sectors within the ADViCE remit, namely manufacturing, energy, the built environment and agriculture. The ADViCE Expert Working Group has the ambition to drive the design of strategic interventions and identifying future growth opportunities in the AI for decarbonisation space.
“I’m very pleased to chair the ADViCE Expert Group and to support its important and timely work. Artificial intelligence is a whole of economy technology and decarbonisation is a whole of economy challenge. Crucially, AI is not a technology developing outside our input or control, but rather a technology which we can leverage and direct thoughtfully for a greener, healthier planet. I am very much looking forward to working with ADViCE and bringing to bear my experience to make recommendations with this in mind.”
Lucy Yu CEO, Centre for Net Zero (Octopus) – Expert Working Group Chair
Expert Working Group Members
Lucy Yu
CEO
Centre for Net Zero (Octopus)
Group Chair
Lucy Yu is CEO at Centre for Net Zero, Octopus Energy Group’s AI and data-driven research institute focused on advancing tech-driven energy systems that benefit humanity, and pioneering the development and use of synthetic energy data. She has 20 years of experience building and scaling global consumer-facing and deeptech ventures in artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and future mobility, climate and clean energy; and developing tech policy and regulation for the UK government, European Commission, and the UN. She is a non-executive director at Connected Places Catapult and E3G, co-founder of the Institute for Ethical AI & Machine Learning, and advisor to startups, scale-ups, and innovation led organisations. She studied computational and physical chemistry at Imperial College, and public leadership at Harvard Kennedy School.
Pippa Robertson
Head of AI Policy
Ofgem
Theme lead 1 – AI for Decarbonisation Policy and Regulation Alignment
Pippa is leading the drive to define regulatory science guidance for the responsible and innovative use of AI within the Energy sector, in response to a growing use of AI in this sector, and its huge capability to create efficiencies now, and in future. AI is a UK top 5 Growth Technology – and can be harnessed to create a better energy deal for consumers, ensure market competition, and reach Net Zero goals through modernised energy infrastructure and a renewables-led energy sector. Pippa is working with a great team, and collaboratively across regulators, government, academia, tech, and with consumers, to define guidance in line with the UK’s Growth Strategy and the UK’s Pro Innovation Approach to AI Principles.
Chioma Rita Udeozor
Innovate UK Project Lead – Circular Economy
NEPIC
Theme lead 2 – Unlocking and Enabling Investment and Innovation
Chioma is currently working as the Project Lead for Circular Economy (an Innovate UK project) at the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC). Her work primarily focuses on developing a roadmap for sustainable olefins production on Teesside, and ultimately the decarbonisation of the Teesside industry cluster.
Before joining NEPIC, Chioma worked on an EU H2020 project on immersive technologies for chemical engineering training. She gained a PhD in chemical engineering from Newcastle University and a master’s degree in operations and supply chain management from the University of Liverpool. She also completed an AI for Business program at MIT.
Chioma is a member of the board of the Early Career Section of the European Federation of Chemical Engineers. She is also a member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). Chioma’s interests include sustainable manufacturing, circular economy, digitalisation, and industry 4.0.
Simon Hart
Lead for Cyber Physical Infrastructure
Innovate UK
Theme lead 3 – Data Accessibility and Capability
Simon is Head of Digital Twin and Cyber Physical Infrastructure at Innovate UK, the UK Government’s Innovation Agency.
Simon’s career started in systems engineering before moving into business development, sales and consultancy. Simon’s expertise is in helping new sectors to thrive by enabling collaboration between startups and industry.
At Innovate UK, he ran the Built Environment Innovation programme and led the development of Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB) with the Government BIM Task Group. More recently he co-founded the Transforming Construction ISCF programme before moving to Digital Twins and Cyber Physical Infrastructure in 2021. Prior to joining Innovate UK, Simon led the Connectivity Practice at Altran (Capgemini) following 10 years in the Automotive Electronics sector. Simon is a regular speaker on the London Tech scene and is happiest when fixing cars, boats or houses.
Matias Acosta
CEO
CosySense
Matias is a social entrepreneur and thought leader. He led 100+ people teams, managed $1M+, and published 50+ articles, and 8 UN sustainability reports cited 4,000+ times. In 2022, Matias cofounded Cosysense, a cleantech using sensors and AI to make air conditioning in commercial buildings smarter, cutting clients’ costs and emissions while boosting comfort with zero upfront costs. Previously, Matias founded Shaping Horizons, a social edtech that upskills young people on how to build impact ventures across Latin America. Matias was appointed UNDP’s Accelerator Lab Head of Exploration to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. He also worked as an academic at the Technical University of Darmstadt and Cambridge University on new materials for the internet of things and clean energy devices.
Matias studied materials engineering at Instituto Sabato, Argentina. He did a postgraduate study on policy and management at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences and a PhD on materials for internet of things at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
Peter Dudfield
Head of Technology
Open Climate Fix
Dr Peter Dudfield holds a PhD in fluid dynamics from the University of Cambridge. He has a passion for working with cutting-edge technologies to help fight climate change. Before working at Open Climate Fix, Peter worked with Habitat Energy and helped set up the largest UK battery optimisation portfolio. Peter also worked in the wind power sector with Siemens Gamesa, developing image recognition technology for damaged wind turbine blades. He has cycled around the world and likes getting the job done.
Sherif Elsayed-Ali
Co-founder
Nexus Climate VC
Sherif Elsayed-Ali is co-founder of Nexus Climate, a climate innovation platform company working to enable and scale decarbonization solutions, including a number of AI initiatives. Sherif previously co-founded and served as CEO of Carbon Re, an AI for materials company pushing the boundaries of AI to accelerate the decarbonization of foundational materials such as cement. Prior to this, he set up and led the AI for Climate practice at Element AI, was co-founder and director of Amnesty Tech, a World Economic Forum Global Future Council co-chair and a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.
Sherif has a BSc degree in Civil Engineering from the American University in Cairo and a Masters degree in Public Administration from Harvard.
Graham Faiz
Head of Digital Energy
DNV
Graham is the Head of Digital Energy for DNV within the United Kingdom and Ireland. He is a Chartered Engineer with a specific focus on the energy, utilities and technology verticals. He has been responsible for the leadership of flagship industry digitalisation projects, holding project manager, sponsor and director roles. Graham is Chartered with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and is a Fellow of the BCS – the Chartered Institute for IT.
Parita Gupta
Senior Commercial Manager
Orsted
Parita joined Asset Management in Ørsted in 2021 as a Commercial Manager bringing a range of multi-sector experience. She is passionate about Ørsted’s position as a renewable energy company that takes tangible action to create a world that runs entirely on green energy. Her main focus is on Lifetime Extension exploring its feasibility from a technical, sustainable financial and regulatory perspective, and working on overcoming the obstacles to achieve Lifetime Extension for the UK offshore wind fleet. She is dedicated to driving opportunities to develop a smart, sustainable and efficient offshore wind sector collaborating with an expansive group of stakeholders internally and externally.
Oliver Parson
Principle Data Scientist (currently on paternity leave)
National Grid
Oliver is currently employed as a Principal Data Scientist at National Grid. Prior to this, he took a career break to travel the world, carbon neutral. From 2019-2022, Oliver was a Staff Data Scientist at Bulb, where he joined Bulb’s mission to lower energy bills and carbon emissions. From 2016-2019, Oliver worked as a data scientist at Hive, where he developed products to help energy customers understand their smart meter data, detect water leaks in their homes, and look after their elderly relatives. From 2010-2015, Oliver completed a two year post-doctoral research fellowship and PhD at the University of Southampton. During this time, he published a number of papers which have been cited thousands of times and achieved an h-index of 14. Oliver also has one patent granted, and have a further 3 patent applications filed.
Buffy Price
COO
Carbon Re
Buffy is a co-founder and COO of Carbon Re. She wears many hats in this role including MarComm, Policy, Legal and HR. Formerly the AI for Climate Partnerships Manager at Element AI and Senior Advisor at Amnesty International, Buffy has extensive experience in change management, organisational development and project management
Georgios Rigas
Senior Lecturer
Imperial College London
Georgios is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London. Before joining IC in 2019, he was a Postdoctoral Scholar at Caltech and the University of Cambridge. Georgios received a Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College in 2015.
His research is at the interface of digital modelling and optimisation of complex energy and transport systems through applied artificial intelligence. Georgios is particularly interested in the development and real-time implementation of dynamic decision making algorithms to control turbulence in state-of-the-art wind-tunnel experiments. Currently, Georgios is leading the AI for Net Zero effort at Imperial College to increase the energy efficiency of energy and transport systems.
Lyndon Ruff
AI Centre of Excellence Manager
NESO
Lyndon Ruff is an experienced data science leader in the energy industry, leading cross-functional teams, driving innovation and operational excellence. As AI Centre of Excellence manager within ESO his role is pivotal in shaping the AI landscape, with a focus on strategic deployment and fostering a culture of continuous learning, which is key to successful integration and adoption of AI.
Maria Sharmina
Professor in Energy and Sustainability
University of Manchester
Maria Sharmina is Professor in Energy and Sustainability at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in the School of Engineering, at the University of Manchester. Maria is a member of the Strategic Advisory Team for the EPSRC’s Digital Security & Resilience Theme. She served as Senior Academic Advisor with the Government Office for Science and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), working on the Net Zero Foresight project from 2021–2023.
Yupeng (Jack) Wu
Chair in Building Physics
University of Nottingham
Professor Yupeng (Jack) Wu is a Chair in Building Physics at the Department of Architecture and Built Environment, the University of Nottingham. Jack has been working on building energy simulation and integration of renewable energy systems into buildings and built environments over the past 18 years. He has supervised over 10 PhD students and managed postdoctoral researchers.
Jack has worked on and led funded research projects with a total value in excess of £10m, exploring energy efficient technologies, solar energy, and advanced solar building facades. Currently Jack is leading a £1.6m EPSRC research project ‘Advanced building façade design for optimal delivery of end use energy demand’ (EP/S030786/1). Jack serves as subject Editor in Low Energy Architecture and Buildings for the journal of ‘Renewable Energy’. He is a full member of the EPSRC peer reviewer college and is also reviewer for European, Canadian and US funding agencies.