Research & policy analysis

Alongside our extensive practical experience of developing and delivering energy projects, CSE has a strong in-house research capacity and a reputation for delivering robust, objective and insightful research on a wide range of sustainable energy issues – spanning social, economic and environmental agendas. 

We maintain a dedicated and professionally qualified in-house research team consisting of five full-time research staff who deliver a portfolio of research work – related both to CSE’s own research agenda and our clients’ needs. The techniques we employ include data collection, management and modelling, GIS, policy analysis, survey design and delivery and programme evaluation.

We also regularly use our in-house research skills to evaluate the effectiveness and implications of the projects we deliver for other clients. We aim to achieve a balance of leading-edge thinking with a pragmatic realism born of our direct ‘on the ground’ experience of engaging people with energy issues.

CSE’s research agenda spans the following areas

• social equity in the context of energy policy
• energy related behaviours
• carbon management
• opportunity and constraint analysis

We have particular research expertise in:

• the social impacts of energy policy
• the characteristics and causes of fuel poverty and their solutions
• consumer attitudes and behaviour in relation to energy use and energy saving
• community engagement and planning for the deployment of renewable energy
• energy regulation and its impact on energy saving and energy service companies
• programme evaluation
• geographic modelling and analysis

We also use our experience and insight to develop tools which enable others to improve sustainable energy practices.

We have undertaken research projects for:
Association for the Conservation of Energy  |  Defra  |  DECC  |  Department of Health  |  EAGA Partnership
 

Heat maps like this are a particular CSE speciality