On Thursday 26 May Oxford University’s brand new £3.25m Zero-carbon Energy Research Oxford (ZERO) Institute and Energy Systems Accelerator pilot (Mini-TESA) opened their doors to showcase the range and depth of ambition in Oxford to drive forward the energy systems transition for the UK and globally. Mini-TESA, based at Osney Mead near Oxford train station, is a progressive co-working space which began operating at the start of the year. By facilitating industry and academic collaboration across all energy vectors (electricity, heat and mobility), new approaches to an equitable energy transition can be accelerated and deployed at scale. It also has hot-desking spaces and is hosting large-scale ‘SPRINTS’, where stakeholders can come together to focus minds, with the aim of identifying pathways to smooth the energy transition in an equitable manner. The ZERO Institute will build on the University’s extensive energy research activities, which span more than 20 departments and 200 researchers.
