The 2022 EESG prize was awarded to Professor Nick Eyre for his work on energy and climate. He has worked as a researcher, consultant and manager on energy and environmental issues since 1984. His interests focus on energy policy, especially with respect to energy demand reduction (EDR), energy efficiency and the transition to ‘low carbon’ energy systems. He has published extensively on energy, climate, environment and transport issues. It was Nick’s publications on EDR that particularly commended themselves to EESG, as well as his positive endorsement of the Energy Hierarchy.
Now based at the University of Oxford, he was the Director of the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS), until it was disbanded at the end of 2023. Their research demonstrated how reductions in energy use are essential for the transition to a fair, ‘net-zero’ society and it is disappointing that Government has not yet replaced this vital role.
His previous work includes lead roles with the Energy Saving Trust and as co-director of the UK Energy Research Centre.
In 2001, he was seconded to the Cabinet Office, Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU), where he was a co-author of the Government's 2002 Review of Energy Policy; he led work streams on energy efficiency and long-term energy scenarios. This was another long-standing connection with Nick, as EESG led the IMechE’s response to the 2002 PIU review.