Dr. Peter M. Connor

Senior Lecturer in Renewable Energy Policy

Contact details

Email: P.M.Connor@ex.ac.uk

Tel: 01326 371870

Biography

Date of Birth: 28 th April 1971

Qualifications

Ph.D., Faculty of Technology, Open University, 2001

M.Sc. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (Merit), Coventry University, 1996

B.Sc. Chemistry, University of Warwick, 1992

Academic Career Record :

Nov. 2008 to date : Senior Lecturer in Renewable Energy Policy

2005 to 2008 : Lecturer, Camborne School of Mines

Lecturing on the UK’s first B.Sc. in Renewable Energy, with responsibility for teaching all aspects of policy and regulation within the context of the degree.

Currently pursuing research in the area of policy and regulation relating to the adoption and use of renewable energy sources of heat (RES-H). Also pursuing further work in the area of industrial policy relating to renewable energy technologies and is particularly interested in how national and regional policies have impacted on the development of wind turbines and corresponding manufacturing sectors.

Since August 2008 he has been Programme Director for the B.Sc. in Renewable Energy.

2002- 2004 : Research Fellow, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

Worked primarily on two EU projects; Sustelnet and FavoRES.

FavoRES addressed barriers to the convergence of Member State policy for the support of renewable energy, and how these might be overcome if there is to be a cohesive EU-wide policy.

Sustelnet was a EU 5th framework project running from May 2002 to June 2004. The main objectives were (i) the development of regulatory roadmaps for the transition to a ‘level playing field’ electricity system for centralised and decentralised generation and network development, and (ii) the facilitation the integration of renewable energy sources within the framework of the liberalisation of the EU electricity market.

Other Work: During 2004 Dr. Connor acted as Project Officer to aid in the initial development phase to the Sustainable Energy Regulation Network (SERN). SERN is an initiative of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). REEEP is a global sustainable energy partnership, formed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development and is a coalition of progressive governments, businesses and organisations committed to accelerating the development of renewable and energy efficiency systems. Dr. Connor attended a number of major international meetings as a representative of SERN and continues to be asked to attend and speak at international events. He helped to develop a SERN lecture programme aiming to teach good regulatory practice.

Research

Policy and regulation relating to renewable energy development, with a current focus on policy relating to renewable energy sources of heat.

Industrial policy relating to renewable energy.

Grants Won

'RES-H Policy' 1.5million euro. Funded by the Framework 7 Intelligent Energy Europe programme to research into policy issues relating to renewable heating and cooling across the EU.

Teaching

1st year degree programme:
CSM 1250 Personal Development & IT (10
credits - module leader)
CSM 1274 Alternative Sources of Energy (20 credits)

2nd year degree programme:
CSM 2306 Energy Management (20 credits - module leader)
CSM 2286 Energy Policy, Markets and Legislation (20 credits - module leader).

3rd year degree programme:
CSM 3369 Economics, Resource Assessment and Appraisal (10 credits - module leader)
CSM 3370 Work Placement Report and General Examination Paper (10 credits - module leader)
CSM 3364 Socio-economic and Environmental impacts of Renewable Energy.
Contributions to:
CSM 3360 Wind Power
CSM 3366 Network Engineering,
Modelling and Management
CSM 3371 Solar Power
CSM 3365 Energy Storage Technologies.

M.Sc. Programme: Contributions to GEOM357 Climate Change, Policy and
Law.

Ph.D. programme:
Secondary supervisor to Jodie West (2005 to date).
Primary supervisor to Eric Effah-Donyina (Oct 2006 onwards).
Secondary supervisor to Matthew Evans (Oct 2007 onwards).
Primary supervisor to Angus Vantoch-Wood (Oct. 2008 onwards).

Selected Publications

Refereed Journal Articles:

Mitchell, C., D. Bauknecht, et al. (2006). Quotas versus Subsidies - Risk Reduction, Efficiency and Effectiveness - A Comparison of the Renewable Obligation and the German Feed-In Law. Energy Policy 34 (3): 297-305. (pdf)

Mitchell, C. and P. Connor (2004). Renewable Energy Policy in the UK 1990-2003. Energy Policy 32 (17): 1935-1947. (pdf)

Connor, P. (2001). Wind Turbine Manufacturing Industry Reaches Maturity. Renewable Energy 2001(1): 63-68

Connor, P. M. (2003). UK Renewable Energy Policy: A Review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 7 (1): pp65-82. (pdf)

Book Chapters:

Connor, P. (2004). Renewable Electricity in the United Kingdom: Developing Policy in an Evolving Electricity Market. Renewable Electricity Policies in Europe: Tradable Green Certificates in Competitive Markets. I. De Lovinfosse and F. Varone. Louvain, Presses Universitaires de Louvain: pp243-300.

Connor, P. (2005). The UK Renewables Obligation. Switching to Renewable Energy – A Framework for the 21st Century. V. Lauber (ed). London, Earthscan

Other Publications:

Mitchell, C. and P. Connor (2002). Review of Current Electricity Policy and Regulation - UK Case Study. Coventry, CMuR

Connor, P. and C. Mitchell (2002). A Review of Four European Regulatory Systems and their Impact on the Deployment of Distributed Generation. Amsterdam, CMuR

Connor, P. and C. Mitchell (2004). A Regulatory Roadmap for the UK: Road Map for Transition of the Regulatory Framework of the UK Electricity Supply System. Coventry, CMuR

Connor, P. and C. Mitchell (2004). FavoRES - Germany Profile. Coventry, Warwick Business School.

Connor, P. and C. Mitchell (2004). FavoRES - Republic of Ireland Profile. Coventry, Warwick Business School.

Connor, P. and C. Mitchell (2004). FavoRES - United Kingdom Profile. Coventry, Warwick Business School.

Connor, P. and C. Mitchell (2004). Identification of Barriers to Convergence of Support for Renewable Energy within the European Union. Coventry, Warwick Business School.

Conference Papers

Connor, P. M. (2008). UK Renewable Heat Policy: Lessons from Renewable Electricity Policy. BIEE, St. John's College, Oxford. (pdf)

P.M.Connor, The Move to Maturity in the Wind Turbine Manufacturing Industry - Is it Happening and, if so, What are its Implications? Renewable Energy. A. A. M. Sayigh. Oxford, Pergamon. II: 1237-1240. Presented at World Renewable Energy Congress, Brighton, UK, 2000

P.M.Connor, National Innovation, Industrial Policy and Renewable Energy Technology. Government Intervention in Energy Markets, British Institute of Energy Economics Conference Oxford, UK, September 2003. (pdf)

P.M.Connor, 'Wave Energy: Going Down the Tube?'. 7th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, Porto, Portugal, September 2007. (pdf)

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