Dr Sara Walker

Speaker Dr Sara Walker is expert on the future of renewables, alternative energy, decarbonisation, and innovative power generation and distribution systems.

Dr Walker spent eight years at De Montfort University in Leicester where her research focussed on renewable energy and new energy efficiency technologies. Sara completed her PhD there on the impact of electricity deregulation on renewable energy market share. During her time with De Montfort she worked on leading research projects around renewable energy and increased energy efficiency principally funded by the European Commission.

Dr Walker moved into industry at Econnect and IT Power spending five years in energy related consultancies that included work on high profile projects for commercial clients such as the pioneering London Array wind farm off the coast of Kent. Dr Walker contributed to the influential report “Potential for micro-generation: study and analysis” published by Energy Saving Trust for the UK Department of Trade and Industry.

In 2007, Sara Walker joined Northumbria University and continued her research on renewable energy and energy efficiency. She developed new programmes there including the MEng Building Services Engineering. Sara took on the role of Director of Research and Engagement for the Department of Architecture, Construction and Engineering and was later appointed Director of Business and Engagement for the Faculty of Engineering and Computing.

Since 2015, she has been Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering at Newcastle University where she has been working on whole energy systems research, and is today Associate Director of the Centre for Energy Systems Integration.

Dr Sara Walker has authored numerous journal and conference papers covering topics of renewables, energy performance in the built environment, the impact of buildings and renewable energy systems such as wind and solar on the grid, and on energy networks and national energy policy.