Special Interviews

UKERC has been operating for 25 years. It is a consortium over 20 different institutions throughout the UK. It is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) research councils. Priorities are set on a rolling program, and the purpose of UKERC is to provide whole systems interdisciplinary energy research spanning engineering, economics, and social science. Rob Gross has been Director of UKERC since 2020 and has assumed advisory roles across UK government departments and agencies, Parliament, and industry. Besides his work in the UK, he has contributed to the work of international agencies including the World Bank, UNDP and IEA. We spoke with him about the UK’s challenges in the transition to the Net Zero Target and UKERC’s role in international collaboration.

Now in its eighth year, RD20 began as a Japan-led conference bringing together research institutions from G20 countries and regions to discuss the path to carbon neutrality. Since then, it has grown beyond a conference held only in Japan into a broader international platform. Initiatives now include summer schools that foster networking among early-career researchers and year-round task forces tackling key issues. Together they are creating new connections for researchers and helping build international networks. This year's RD20 will be held in South Africa. To learn more about this year's objectives, we spoke with Mr. Hiroki Watanabe (Director, International Affairs Office, International Cooperation for Standards and Conformity Assessment, Innovation and Environment Policy Bureau of METI - Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry - ).

Tubitak (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye), Turkey's largest public research organization, conducts research and development while also playing a vital role in supporting scientific research and technological innovation. Tubitak comprises seven research institutes that study sustainable, carbon‑neutral energy. The Tubitak Marmara Research Center (MAM) is one of these seven research institutes. Dr. Dogan Gezer, the coordinator representing the Energy Technologies Division at Tubitak MAM, is an electrical and electronics engineer and a specialist in renewable energy and hydropower technologies. We spoke with Dr. Dogan Gezer about the center's activities and his expectations for RD20.

The Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest research organization, comprises 18 research centers and employs approximately 48,000 people. One of those centers, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), became an RD20 member in 2025. HZB is developing new materials and technologies to support the future supply of energy without contributing to climate change. Home to the BESSY II synchrotron radiation facility, which enables researchers to probe the properties of matter, the institute attracts scientists from around the world. We spoke with Prof. Dr. Bernd Rech, scientific director of HZB, about the institute’s research activities and its expectations for RD20.