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ENERGY NET WORKS T he energy trilemma (energy security, environmental impact and social cost) presents many complex interconnected chal - lenges which reach beyond the UK and have huge relevance internationally. Technology, society and the availability and preferred use of resources has changed leading to the possible need for a new approach to the planning, design and operation of energy networks. Current energy networks exist primarily on a rela - tively large scale. Both the electricity and gas distribution networks use established systems that were introduced in the early 1930s (electricity) and early 1960s (gas); and these have both undergone great expansion. The demands placed on energy networks have changed over recent years in terms of type of use, different geographical needs and different customer expectations, needs and usage patterns; including distributed generation. These changes in societal needs represent an enormous challenge to the energy networks to ensure that there is no reduction in the quality of service offered. Energy networks need to exploit and facili - tate temporal and spatial diversity in energy production; and use and derive benefit from economies of scale where they exist. Al- though significant progress has been made in modernising electrical networks through The academic partners involved in the Supergen Energy Networks Hub. the deployment of smart grid technologies in recent years, the challenges of decarbon- ising heat and transport remain unsolved. The EPSRC Supergen (SUstainable PowER GENeration) Energy Networks Hub intends to bring the network communities together to identify how further and accelerated pro - gress could be made through a multi vector approach. The Supergen Energy Networks Hub is part of a £16 million, 48 month investment from EPSRC. The director of the Supergen team is Prof Phil Taylor, Newcastle University. Working alongside Phil are six academic core partners based at five different universities; Sara Walker, also at Newcastle University; Pe - ter Taylor at the University of Leeds; Vladimir Terzija and Robin Preece from the University of Manchester; Jianzhong Wu based at Cardiff University; and Furong Li at the University of Bath. Work with the Hub partners will envelop the understanding of ICT and data; policy and society; markets and regulation; along with risk and uncertainty. A key feature of the Supergen project is that this is not just a team of academics. Importantly the Supergen Energy Networks Hub includes crucial interaction with gas and electricity utility partners; government, industrial and international partners; trade association partners; and data/ICT/cyber partners. These are essential for meeting the NETWORK / 18 / MAY 2019 Building our energy future Bringing industry and academia together, the EPSRC Supergen Energy Networks Hub intends to provide a network centric multi-vector approach to energy needs. Susan Scholes, Sara Walker and Phil Taylor report.