Information about the Surrey Energy Economics Centre (SEEC)
The Department of Economics has a long-standing tradition of energy economics research from its early origins under the leadership of Professor Colin Robinson. This was consolidated in the early 1980s when the University established SEEC, with Colin as the Director, to study the economics of energy and energy markets.
SEEC undertakes original energy economics research and since being established it has produced papers across the whole spectrum of energy economics, including the international oil and gas market, North Sea oil & gas, energy efficiency, UK & international coal, gas privatisation & regulation, electricity privatisation & regulation, measurement of efficiency in energy industries, energy & development, energy demand modelling & forecasting, and energy & the environment. SEEC now also encompasses the theoretical research on regulation previously housed in the department's Regulation & Competition Research Group (RCPG) that existed from 1998 to 2004.
SEEC produces the Surrey Energy Economics Discussion Paper Series (SEEDS) with over 100 papers published. Moreover, members of SEEC regularly publish in general economics and specialised energy journals. SEEC also runs workshops and conferences that bring together academics and practitioners to explore and discuss the important energy issues of the day. For example, following a conference to honour Colin Robinson's outstanding contribution to energy economics, Edward Elgar published a book in May 2003 entitled 'Energy in a Competitive Market'.
SEEC also attracts a large proportion of the department's postgraduate students overseeing a vibrant MSc in Energy Economics & Policy and PhD programme. Many students have successfully completed their MSc and/or PhD in energy economics and gone on to very interesting and rewarding careers, both in academia and the energy industry.
SEEC is joint organiser of the The 1st International Workshop on Empirical Methods in Energy Economics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland August 29th and 30th 2008 with the Centre for Energy Economics and Policy (cepe) and the Canadian Building Energy End-Use Data and Analysis Centre.
