Richard Lowes is an internationally recognised expert in clean heating, gas transitions and energy policy. He leads RAP’s global work on heat and buildings within our Global Expertise Centre, and provides strategic support across RAP’s Europe programme.
With over 15 years of experience spanning industry, academia and direct policy engagement, Richard has been a leading voice in shaping the transition towards clean heat and buildings. Since joining RAP in 2021, he has coordinated major strands of RAP’s heating work and provided thought leadership on the issues of heat pump deployment and gas infrastructure. He also chairs the Clean Heat Forum international policy network and serves as vice-president of the Cool Heating Coalition, helping connect policymakers and practitioners driving rapid heat decarbonisation.
Richard has advised governments at the highest levels. He has served since 2019 as a non‑executive member of the Scottish Government’s Heat Decarbonisation Advisory Board, and he currently chairs their Energy Performance Certificate Reform working group. He has also provided oral evidence to multiple UK parliamentary select committees, acted as an expert advisor to the National Audit Office investigation into the Renewable Heat Incentive, and contributed to the 2020 Climate Assembly UK as an advocate for sustainable heating. In 2023–24, he was appointed specialist advisor to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee’s inquiry into the electrification of the UK economy.
Before joining RAP, Richard worked in the UK energy industry with SSE and SGN, leading policy and public affairs work relating to heat and gas networks. He then moved to the University of Exeter, where he completed a doctorate in heat policy and politics and delivered a portfolio of influential research projects. He continues as an honorary lecturer at Exeter and has lectured undergraduate and postgraduate students on energy and environmental policy.
Across his career, Richard has built a strong track record of delivering high‑impact research, strategic insight and public communication on heat decarbonisation—work that has shaped thinking across government, industry and civil society.
He holds a first‑class honours degree in geography and environmental management, a master’s degree (with distinction) in energy policy, and a doctorate focused on the development of UK sustainable heating policy. Richard is a Fellow of the Energy Institute and a Chartered Environmentalist with the Society for the Environment.
How Richard Lowes is Energizing Change
The UK clean heat market mechanism
As the European Commission considers the introduction of a market-based instrument on clean heat deployment, RAP… Read More +
Tipping the balance: Cheaper electricity is needed to drive clean heating
Heat pumps are the backbone of clean energy in buildings, delivering efficient, low-carbon heating and cooling… Read More +
How did you catch the “energy” bug?
I've always been interested in technology, growing up alongside the rapid developments in computing, mobile phones, digital imaging and batteries. My undergraduate degree in geography and environmental management took a strong lean to energy issues and one thing led to another. I also think that being the son of an electronics engineer on one side and a solicitor on the other meant a career focus on the regulation for electrification was perhaps my fate.
What is one of your bravest accomplishments?
My academic research on 'incumbency' in the UK heat sector which highlighted efforts to slow down clean heating solutions involved speaking 'truth to power' in a particularly frank way. I'd like to think this is some of the most impactful work I've done, but it was challenging at the time. In hindsight, I was probably too gentle.
If I were a superhero, my superpower would be the ability to fly. As a surfer based in the UK and someone who avoids flying, it would be great to just fly myself to the Maldives under my own (self-propelled low carbon) steam.