The workshop attracted energy experts from research facilities and infrastructure projects worldwide, with the purpose of identifying the challenges, best practices and policies to develop sustainable solutions at research infrastructures.
Given the current situation regarding climate change and the energy crisis, this sixth workshop on Energy for Sustainable Science in Research Infrastructures (ESSRI) came at an important time. Over the past decade, the rapid evolution in climate change has made us acutely aware of the swiftly deteriorating situation and scarcity of resources. Now the facts are in and we are almost all convinced of the influence of human activities on climate change.
Our organizations need to act responsibly on energy consumption (reduction in consumption, energy efficiency and recovery, etc.) and on the transfer of technology towards society in the broad field of sustainability. In this context, it is important to show the relevance of our research and at the same time show that the technologies developed are useful to society: physics is beautiful and useful!
Sharing practices in energy, water, environment
For more than 10 years, we have demonstrated the importance of sharing our practices in the field of energy as well as in water management and more broadly in the field of the environment. It is also essential to combine our efforts to carry out joint research programmes and thus avoid a duplication of effort. In this context, the construction, rationalization and operation of joint facilities is also crucial. Most research infrastructures are already engaged in programmes to reduce their carbon footprint.
The 6th workshop “Energy for Sustainable Science at Research Infrastructures 2022”, was jointly organized at the ESRF, over two days by CERN, DESY, ERF member laboratories, ESRF, ESS, PSI, and in cooperation with the IFAST programme. ESRF was very happy to host this important workshop, particularly in consideration of the fact that we just celebrated (25 August 2022) two years of successful operation of the ESRF – Extremely Brilliant Source, a new generation of high-energy synchrotron light source with many new important features including a major reduction of energy consumption.
Who attended ESSRI 2022?
ESSRI 2022 brought together international sustainability and energy experts, stakeholders and representatives from research facilities and future research infrastructure projects worldwide, with the purpose of identifying the challenges, best practices and policies to develop and implement sustainable solutions at research infrastructures. This includes the increase of energy efficiencies, energy system optimizations, storage and savings, implementation and management issues as well as the review of challenges represented by potential future technological solutions and the tools for collaboration.
Most research infrastructures are already engaged in programmes to reduce their carbon footprint. However, the recent energy crisis, with its soaring operating costs, has highlighted the need to accelerate this approach and save even more energy. Many of the facilities represented are looking to the long-term future, and it is vital that this is done with energy efficiency programmes in mind.
Close to hundred participants, including five local students were present onsite. The workshop was also broadcast on the web in real time, including more than 40 additional participants. Although there was a large contribution from European countries, this workshop is international, and we were happy to have participants and speakers from all over the world, especially from the USA and Japan.
Next edition of ESSRI
The workshop series “Energy for Sustainable Science at Research Infrastructures” is a biannual event organised in various locations. The 6th edition of the series was selected as one of the key events of ‘Grenoble: European Green Capital 2022′ to enhance Grenoble’s engagement in sustainability. We were proud that this sixth ESSRI22 workshop was part of the IYBSSD calendar.
The next edition will organized in autumn 2024 by CIEMAT in Madrid (Spain).