Industry leaders with an interest in the energy sector can join forces with University of Edinburgh researchers to address business challenges and build new partnerships.

AIMday Energy on 27 June, hosted by Edinburgh Innovations, which manages industry engagement for the University of Edinburgh, brings together businesses and other organisations with world-leading specialists to tackle real-world problems based on current and future trends in the field of energy.

The AIMday (Academic Industry Meeting day) format invites companies to pose questions in advance of the event, which are matched with researchers specialising in the relevant field. On the day itself, businesses and researchers address the challenges together to explore potential solutions and build partnerships.

AIMday Energy is part of a series of AIMdays being hosted by Edinburgh Innovations covering topics including manufacturing, data and product improvement. The AIMday format was established by Uppsala University in Sweden.

The scope of the energy topic takes in everything from low-carbon energy, including wind, tidal and nuclear, to energy storage and energy policy. The University of Edinburgh has a multi-disciplinary community of energy expertise, with around 300 academics carrying out energy-related research.

The University’s internationally recognised researchers are involved in the UK Energy Research Centre, the UK Centre for Research on Energy Demand, and the National Centre for Energy Systems Integration. They have contributed to the Scottish Government Fuel Poverty Review Panel, Scotland’s Climate Change Plan and Energy Strategy, and the UK’s Steering Group on Heat Networks and Consumer Protection Research, and they have advised the National Grid.

The University is home to the award-winning Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation, the UK Biochar Research Centre and the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility.

“The rapidly changing energy agenda affects every kind of business,” says Alex Cassidy, Programme Manager at Edinburgh Innovations. “Our researchers are at the forefront the field and have a wealth of experience of working with industry. AIMday Energy offers businesses and other organisations a unique opportunity to access that expertise.”

AIMday Energy is a free event. Businesses have until 18 May to register their questions.