Meet Our Team

Dr. Callum Rae     Research Associate

School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, Institute of Mechanical, Process & Energy Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, UK

    Office: DB 2.65

    Phone: TBC

    Email: c.rae@hw.ac.uk

Biography:

Callum joins RCCS from industry, where he worked as an Energy Consultant for a large engineering consultancy specialising in building services, energy and sustainability.  

Callum completed his PhD at Strathclyde University in 2016. His research focused on the viability of variable domestic energy pricing in stand-alone energy systems. This led to a Knowledge Transfer Partnership which resulted in a permanent position with the industry partner. This involved the development of a high temporal resolution, multi-vector modelling capability. This approach combined predicted energy demands with plant sizing and operational hierarchies to give a detailed representation of hybrid energy system operation. This was then used as a design and decision support tool. Notable projects included the Energy Centre at the new Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) which combines anaerobic digestion, the production of hydrogen transport fuel via electrolysis and the UK’s largest fuel cell installation. This work saw Callum shortlisted for the Young Green Energy Awards in consecutive years, with the AECC project being highly commended at the IET Innovation Awards in 2019, in the Model-Based Engineering category.

Research Interests:

His main research areas are Local energy systems, energy system design, variable energy pricing, demand response.  

Publications:

1. C. Rae. “A New Approach to Energy Centre Design”, Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate Conference, Coventry University, UK, 25-26 May 2016.
2. C. Rae and F. Bradley. “Promoting socially viable demand response in stand-alone energy systems using variable energy pricing”, Energy Systems Conference, London, UK, 24-25 June 2014.
3. C. Rae and F. Bradley. “The viability of variable energy pricing in standalone energy systems”, CIRED Workshop, Rome, Italy, 11-12 June 2014. 
4. C. Rae and F. Bradley. "The Emergence of Low Carbon Energy Autonomy in Isolated Communities." Journal of Technology Innovations in Renewable Energy 2.3 (2013): 205-221.
5. C. Rae and F. Bradley. "Energy autonomy in sustainable communities — A review of key issues." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16.9 (2012): 6497-6506.
6. C. Rae. “The Importance of Human Behaviour in the Success of Sustainable Communities”, 22nd International Association of People-Environment Studies Conference, Glasgow, UK, 24-29 June 2012.