Science, Technology and Innovation Studies

I am the Research Fellow on the 'Energy Policy Effectiveness' project, part of the ClimateXChange research agency. I carry out systematic evidence reviews on questions relevant to Scottish energy policy, working closely with the Heat and Energy Efficiency Unit in the Scottish Government. I was seconded full-time and then part-time to the Scottish Government October 2018 - April 2020. I have carried out evidence reviews on the effectiveness of different policy instruments at encouraging private investment in home energy retrofit for owner occupied, and privately rented properties. I am currently working on an evidence review on the technology phase-out policy in the energy sector.

My previous research has considered some of the social and political aspects of efforts to energy efficiently retrofit existing buildings. I have considered the different political rationales for energy efficiency policy in different countries, the different narratives of home energy renovators and the overall public and private investment cases for energy efficiency (see publications). See Publications

Other research has related to modelling the economics of low carbon transitions and the development of lowest-cost pathways for lowering carbon emissions in city regions. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities work involved projects in various UK cities and the development of a new method for the first Climate Smart Cities project in Kolkata, India. I have also considered the ex-post evaluation of energy savings from an energy efficient retrofit scheme in Kirklees, England, and the trial of a revolving fund model for financing retrofit schemes (see Publications).

I am a purposefully interdisciplinary researcher, generally interested in the political, social and economic aspects of transition to a more sustainable society.

Peer-reviewed publications

Kerr, N. and Winskel, M. (2020) Household investment in home energy retrofit: A review of the evidence on effective public policy design for privately owned homes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 123

Kerr, N; Gillard, R; Middlemiss, L. Politics, problematisation, and policy: A comparative analysis of energy poverty in England, Ireland and France. Energy and Buildings, 194, 191-200.

Kerr, N; Gouldson, A; Barrett, J. Holistic narratives of the renovation experience: Using Q-methodology to improve understanding of domestic energy retrofits in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science, 42, 90-99

Kerr, N. Gouldson, A. Barrett, J. ‘The rationale for energy efficiency policy: Assessing the recognition of the multiple benefits of energy efficiency retrofit policy’. Energy Policy, 106, 212-221

Gouldson, A; Kerr, N; Millward-Hopkins, J; Freeman, M; Topi, C; Sullivan, R. (2015) Innovative Financing Models for Low Carbon Transitions: Exploring the case for revolving funds for domestic energy efficiency programmes. Energy Policy, 86, pp. 739-748

Webber, P; Gouldson, A; Kerr, N. (2015) The impacts of household retrofit and domestic energy efficiency schemes: A large scale ex-post evaluation. Energy Policy, 84, pp. 35-43

Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Topi, C. Dawkins, E., Kuylenstierna, J., and Pearce, R. (2012) 'The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: Approaches to a City Scale Mini-Stern Review' in Simpson, R. and Zimmerman, M. (eds) The Economy of Green Cities: A World Compendium on the Green Urban Economy, Springer.

Reports

Kerr, N; Winskel, M. Private rental sector and home energy retrofit investment – scoping report. ClimateXChange

Kerr, N; Winskel, M. Private household investment in home energy retrofit: reviewing the evidence and designing effective public policy. ClimateXChange

Millward-Hopkins JT, Gouldson A, Kerr N. (2016) The Co-Evolution of Financial Instruments and Institutions and Low Carbon Transitions.

Gouldson, A; Colenbrander, S; McAnulla, F; Sudmant, A; Kerr, N; Sakai, P; Hall, S; Papargyropoulou, E; Kuylenstierna, J. (2015) The Economic Case for Low Carbon Cities: New Climate Economy contributing paper

Andy Gouldson, Niall Kerr, Faye McAnulla, Stephen Hall, Sarah Colenbrander and Andrew Sudmant. 2014. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities Kolkata, India. Climate Smart Cities. 

Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Topi, C. Dawkins, E., Kuylenstierna, J. and Pearce, R (2013) 'The Economics of Low Carbon Cities for Birmingham and the Wider Urban Area, published by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures.

Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Topi, C., Dawkins, E., Kuylenstierna, J. and Pearce, R. (2012) 'The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: A Mini-Stern Review for the Leeds City Region', published by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures.

Gouldson, A., Harwatt, H., Kerr, N. and Ellis, L. (2011) Towards a Low Carbon economy? Pathways Towards Low Carbon Business. Policy Brief prepared for the UK Dept.s of Energy and Climate Change, Business, Innovation and Skills, and Environment Food and Rural Affairs, published by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures.