DEI Energy Day 2026 – Safe and Sound: Energy Security, Innovation and Communities
Posted on 21 July 2026
Join Durham Energy Institute and Redhills for Energy Day 2026!
ENERGY DAY
Thursday 5 November 2026
9.00am – 5.15pm, followed by a networking drinks reception
Durham Miners' Hall, Redhills, Durham City
"Safe and Sound: Energy Security, Innovation and Communities"
Register here
Join us for a day of discussion, debate and collaboration exploring one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how we create an energy system that is secure, sustainable and resilient while ensuring that communities are at the heart of the transition.
Energy security is being reshaped by an increasingly turbulent world. Geopolitical instability, conflict, climate change, volatile energy markets and vulnerabilities in global supply chains have brought renewed attention to where our energy comes from and how we protect the systems and infrastructure on which society depends. At the same time, the transition away from fossil fuels is creating new opportunities for innovation, investment and the development of cleaner, more resilient energy systems.
Energy Day 2026 will bring together researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, community organisations and practitioners to explore these interconnected challenges and consider how research and innovation can help build a more secure energy future.
Throughout the day, we will showcase cutting-edge research from Durham Energy Institute and our partners, exploring topics ranging from the geopolitics of energy and global energy security to clean power technologies, energy justice, community energy and the resilience of our energy systems. We will examine the potential of offshore wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen, energy storage and marine energy, alongside the data, modelling and policy needed to support their development and strengthen the UK's energy security. Delegates will also have the opportunity to join our UK energy security: from policy to investment roundtable discussion, exploring how research, policy and investment can work together to deliver a secure, resilient and affordable energy future for the UK.
Crucially, we will also ask what energy security means for people and places. Through sessions exploring fuel poverty, heat and homes, inclusive transitions, community engagement and local energy projects, we will consider how communities can participate in - and benefit from - the transition, ensuring that the move towards a more secure and sustainable energy system is also fair and inclusive.
Hosted at the beautifully restored Redhills, the historic home of the Durham Miners' Association, our conference takes place in a venue that embodies the connections between energy, industry and community. Once at the heart of a coalfield that powered a nation, Redhills provides a fitting setting in which to consider the UK's changing energy landscape and how the innovation, resilience and collective spirit that shaped our industrial past can help inform the energy future we build together.
Conference Highlights:
- A keynote discussion on Energy Security in a Turbulent World, examining the geopolitics of energy, the challenges facing global energy security and what resilience means in an uncertain world
- Plenary discussions showcasing the breadth and impact of Durham Energy Institute's research
- Research showcases exploring energy security and geopolitics, inclusive transitions, energy justice, data and modelling, and clean power technologies
- Interactive sessions focused on energy policy, investment, heat and homes, public engagement and community energy
- Discussion of the role of technologies including offshore wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen, energy storage and marine energy in reducing fossil fuel dependence and strengthening UK energy security
- Opportunities to engage with researchers, policymakers, businesses, industry partners and community organisations
- A research poster competition and photography competition showcasing energy research and perspectives from across our community
- A concluding discussion reflecting on Durham Energy Institute's impact across research, innovation, policy engagement and community partnerships, and how these contributions can help shape a more secure, inclusive and resilient energy future
- Networking opportunities throughout the day, followed by an evening drinks reception
Whether you are interested in the geopolitics of energy, new technologies, policy and investment, the transition to clean power or what our changing energy system means for communities, Energy Day 2026 offers an opportunity to join the conversation and help explore how we can create an energy future in which we can all feel safe and sound.
Registration for this event is essential for catering purposes. Please visit the Redhills booking site to reserve your place.
Further details on speakers and individual sessions will be available shortly at Events - DEI
We look forward to welcoming you to Energy Day 2026.
