Richard Lowes is a specialist in the technology and policy associated with heating and is based within RAP’s Europe programme. He joined RAP in 2021 with over 10 years’ heat policy experience in industry, academia and working with policymakers. Richard currently coordinates much of RAP’s work on clean heating in Europe and globally, and as part of this, co-chairs the Clean Heat Forum international policy network.
After earning an advanced degree in energy policy, Lowes worked for UK energy company SSE before moving on to gas transporter SGN, where he led the company’s work on policy and public affairs. In 2014 he moved to the University of Exeter, where he completed a doctorate alongside various heat-focused research projects. He also lectured on energy policy. Since 2019, he has been a non-executive director of the Scottish government’s heat decarbonisation programme board.
Richard Lowes has a track record of delivering high-impact heat decarbonisation research and remains a research fellow at the University of Exeter. He has provided oral evidence to multiple UK parliamentary select committees, was an expert advisor to the National Audit Office inquiry into Great Britain’s Renewable Heat Incentive, and was an advocate for sustainable heating at the 2020 Climate Assembly UK.
He holds a first class honours degree in geography and environmental management, in addition to his master’s (with distinction) in energy policy and doctorate in the development of UK sustainable heating policy.
How Richard Lowes is Energizing Change
A policy toolkit for global mass heat pump deployment version 2.0
Heat pumps, a critical technology for clean energy systems, are becoming the most important technology for heating… Read More +
One foot in the past: The role of hybrid heat pumps in Europe
Reducing emissions in Europe’s buildings necessitates replacing fossil fuel boilers with greener alternatives. Hybrid heat pumps have… Read More +
How did you catch the “energy” bug?
I've always been interested in technology, growing up alongside the rapid developments in computing, mobile phones, digital imaging and batteries. My undergraduate degree in geography and environmental management took a strong lean to energy issues and one thing led to another. I also think that being the son of an electronics engineer on one side and a solicitor on the other meant a career focus on the regulation for electrification was perhaps my fate.
What is one of your bravest accomplishments?
My academic research on 'incumbency' in the UK heat sector which highlighted efforts to slow down clean heating solutions involved speaking 'truth to power' in a particularly frank way. I'd like to think this is some of the most impactful work I've done, but it was challenging at the time. In hindsight, I was probably too gentle.
If I were a superhero, my superpower would be the ability to fly. As a surfer based in the UK and someone who avoids flying, it would be great to just fly myself to the Maldives under my own (self-propelled low carbon) steam.