Birmingham University
Power Trader was run for students at Birmingham University.
The aim of the workshop is to run your electricity company in a way that keeps your customers’ lights on, maximises profit and minimises carbon emissions.
You will trade power with other teams over five rounds, simulating both seasonal variations in the system and the longer-term strategic challenge of achieving net zero. This requires you to develop a strategy for growing your portfolio in a competitive market, as well as responding to changing customer demand and policy shifts.
Delivered for hundreds of participants in person over the last ten years, the game is now available as an individual pay-to-play experience or an online workshop with your peers.
Power Trader is perfect for a broad range of audiences. Including individuals from the following organisations:
Utilities
Energy project and technology developers
Energy consultants
Policy makers or strategists engaged in electricity markets
Academics
Masters and PhD students
Research councils
Regulatory organisations
National grid and DNOs
Industry associations
Professional institutions
Transport planners: early/mid/late career
Transport policymakers
Transport research groups
Masters and undergraduate students
Transport technology developers
Transport consultants
Community groups
Anyone with an interest in transport
LEARNING THROUGH DOING: Direct immersion in the complexities of the transport system delivers a hands-on experience unlike any other training
UNDERSTANDING MULTIPLE SCENARIOS: Each team will develop a geographically and historically different city, each taking different decisions and sharing their outcomes, learning from one another
STRENGTHENED TEAM WORKING: Development of communication, negotiation, decision making and conflict resolution skills
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE: This bespoke game has been crafted by our experts to create an unforgettable day of learning and fun!
Early career researchers
PhD students
Research consortia
Associations
Energy technology developers
Energy research consultants
LEARNING THROUGH DOING: Hands on experience of developing an impact-based approach, building understanding of how to turn research outputs into tangible outcomes
KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO ENGAGE MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS: Understand the needs of different actors and how to deliver benefits
STRENGTHENED TEAM WORKING: Development of communication, presentation, decision making and strategic thinking skills
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE: This bespoke game has been crafted by our experts to create an unforgettable day of learning and fun!
Power Trader was run for students at Birmingham University.
Power Trader was delivered as an online game for European embassies.
Power Trader Online
Power Trader was run for students at the Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Renewable Energy at Edinburgh University.
Transport Planner was run as a one day workshop for the University of Nottingham Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Decarbonised Fuel Energy Systems.
Power Trader was run for the National Grid.
Power Trader was run for the University of Nottingham.
Power Trader was run for the Renewable Energy MSc course at the University of Hull.
Power Trader was run for the Sustainable Hydrogen Centre for Doctoral Training at the University of Nottingham.
Andy Boston provides energy consulting services through Red Vector Ltd. Andy has more than 30 years experience in the energy industry starting with the nationalised CEGB, through privatisation firstly with PowerGen and thence E.ON, and finally with the Energy Research Partnership.
Over the past 20 years Andy has designed and run games for events of up to 150 people attended by students, lecturers, new staff, middle managers, strategists, traders, senior staff and board members. As well as organising business games his skills include modelling energy markets, developing decarbonisation scenarios and understanding issues around the integration of renewables on to the grid.
Dr Mike Colechin is director of Cultivate Innovation Ltd …working with the organisations and individuals who are delivering innovative, low carbon energy solutions.
Prior to setting up Cultivate, Mike was the Energy Technologies Institute’s Partnership Manager, supporting organisations delivering low carbon energy innovation, informing government policy, and building investor and industry confidence in these new approaches.
Mike is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with over 30 years’ experience in the transport and energy sectors, with time spent both as a Combustion Engineer and as a member of E.ON’s R&D Management Team.
Clare Sheffield provides advice to policy-makers and the transport industry on evidence-based, analytically driven transport strategy & planning. A social sciences graduate with 20 years experience, she has pioneered creative research and modelling techniques in the transport industry, specialising in road pricing, cycling and behaviour change, and air quality. Clare has delivered seminars at universities across the UK and bespoke training sessions to analysts and planners.