Decarb-a-nation is an innovative and challenging, yet fun workshop day where you can interact with the complex journey to net zero in an immersive, accessible way. It puts participants in the shoes of key stakeholders responsible for decarbonising a national-scale economy by 2050.
Our energy industry experts with over 80 years of combined experience will lead you through realistic decarbonisation scenarios using real data, allowing you to see the net zero debate from multiple viewpoints.
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!
We recently delivered our Transport Planner workshop for the Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (AAPS) CDT in Bath. Everyone picked up the game really quickly and the participants gave us a good challenge asking some interesting questions. It was great to see lots of strategic thinking in action! “A fun way to explore transport options –…
We delivered our Decarb-a-nation workshop as a training event for the first two cohorts of the Green Industrial Futures Centre for Doctoral Training in Manchester. “I liked collaborating amongst teams and also got a feel of what happens in the real world.” Workshop participant
It was great to be in Nottingham playing our newest game, Decarb-a-nation, with the Prosperity Partnership. Participants explored how to decarbonise an entire economy, and the challenges that this creates. As technical specialists, many came to the workshop with specific knowledge around pathways to net zero, but the day was all about putting their job…
We delivered our Power Trader workshop to a group of 17 students at City St. George’s University of London. We’ve been seeing some high numbers and expert trading. “The real life insight was very useful to put what we were doing into view.” Hagir, City University
We ran our Transport Planner workshop in March with the great team at Healthy Low-Carbon Transport Hub, using it as a stakeholder engagement tool for a new transport project. It was great to see the conversations being sparked as people try to manage their transport systems We’re looking forward to seeing the work that this…
The latest cohort at IDCORE – EPSRC Industrial Doctoral Training Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy plus other colleagues from across The University of Edinburgh had a fantastic time playing Power Trader! Well done Team Itchen for having the best share price AND lowest emissions, and commiserations to Team Esk for losing nearly all their shareholders…
We had the pleasure last week to deliver our Transport Planner workshop to a group of researchers in Southampton. It was great to see everyone getting so engaged with the models and getting just a little competitive. Despite not being Transport specialists, the group had some great discussions around the issues raised in the workshop,…
The Green Industrial Futures Centre for Doctoral Training had a fantastic time playing Power Trader at Heriot-Watt University as part of their Induction week. Well done Team Dee for being the cleanest utility, Itchen for having the best share price and commiserations to Team Esk for losing nearly all their shareholders money. Well done Team…
We delivered our Power Trader workshop in October at the University of Birmingham for a group of over 50 students, all learning how power markets work. We loved seeing what happens when we get so many people in the room, really starting to simulate what happens out in the real world. “Real time trading created…
We ran our newest workshop ‘Decarb-a-Nation’ for a mixed group of staff from The Net Zero Hubs and Energy Systems Catapult. Discussions focused on Regional Energy Strategic Planning and Local Area Energy Plans. View in full page to see our short video: Decarb-a-Nation workshop – at Energy Systems Catapult 2025
We ran our Power Trader workshop with MSc students at City University with a focus on how energy trading works. “A good way of conceptualising energy trading and it’s challenges” Leo, City University
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.
