Hannah Mottram

Researcher on the Smart Biogas : Digesting Data project Analysis of data from small-scale household and institutional biomass gasifiers across East Africa and India to evaluate how they are used and how they perform. https://inclusive.energy/projects

Exploring justice issues in rural minigrids using social, technical and economic perspectives. My research has taken an interdisciplinary approach, with supervisory support in Engineering and Geography. Participatory Action research has been a core aspect of my work, both in methodology and the outputs from my work. I use an energy justice approach, influenced by African theories of justice such as Ubuntu and Ujamaa. I have found that energy justice issues manifest in a wide range of ways. By using an economic approach to tariffs, poorer households often end up paying more per unit of electricity than others. Under some tariffs households self-disconnect, which also influences the load profiles of minigrids. Community perspectives are often only considered to a limited amount, and they are not given adequate information during early stages of project planning. A discordance between community expectations and project realities, particularly regarding tariff costs, leads to reduced customer satisfaction. Load-profile modelling currently doesn’t adequately consider the local context, particularly affordability of tariffs and desired demand compared to actual usage. I conclude that there needs to be greater financial support for rural minigrids, which needs to be delivered in a way which meets the needs of communities, particularly the poorest. Increased participation of communities in policy and project planning would help to ensure their needs are better considered, which may also increase the likelihood of projects being successful. I have taught in the Faculties of Social Sciences, Science and Engineering. In Geography I have lectured using my research and taught seminars on the International Development Masters Course. This has covered research methods and ideas and practice in development.

Co-ordinator of the ACCESS coalition (Alliance of Civil Society Organisations for Clean Energy Access). ACCESS advocates for people living in poverty to have access to safe, reliable and affordable energy, and for environmentally sustainable and efficient energy systems globally. I carry out advocacy and research, including on civil society participation in decision making, financing for energy access and energy access baselines.

Lead for government business on climate science, including ministerial briefings, department briefings, correspondence and Freedom of Information requests. Lead on climate services for DECC, including coordinating a ministerial roundtable in UK support for developing countries and producing a booklet showcasing UK activities.

Member of Ofgem Graduate Development Programme. Graduate analyst at Office for Gas and Electricity Markets. 1st placement: Offshore Transmission, Coordination and Enduring policy. Industry links for Integrated Offshore Transmission Project (East), investment models for future coordinated networks, policy for end of revenue term, evaluation of tender bids. 2nd placement: Sustainable Energy Policy. Policy for green and renewable tariffs, letter to the Secretary of State on Social and Environmental Guidance, analysis of data for CEER renewables survey. 3rd placement: Smarter Grids and Governance, Gas Transmission. Analysis of policy options for gas transmission charging review, leading on licence changes.

Secondary Physics Teacher Co-ordinated STEM activities

Part 1: Physics; Evolution and Behaviour; Geology; Mathematics; Mineral Physics; Ecology Part 2: Sedimentology and Palaeontology Core; Geophysics Core; Continental Tectonics and Mountains; Palaeobotany; Forcings and Feedbacks of Earth's Climate System Project: Mapping project based on independent research in Matjesfontein, South Africa Part 3: The Earth System and Climate Change; Basin Dynamics; Evolutionary Paleobiology. Research project: Seismic Modelling of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration at Sleipner, North Sea. I used scientific methods (GeoFrame and Gassman Equations) to model the distribution of carbon dioxide. This included a literature review on options for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, development of a model and evaluation of the project.