Max Lacey-Barnacle

Max Lacey-Barnacle is a Senior Research Fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) within the University of Sussex Business School. His research focuses on energy justice, just transitions, and low-carbon transitions, with a particular emphasis on democratizing energy systems and addressing social inequalities through policies like Community Wealth Building. He holds a PhD in Energy Policy from Cardiff University and an MA in Environment, Politics & Globalisation from King's College London.

Key professional roles include a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship (2021–2024) and prior positions at the Energy Saving Trust and Anglia Ruskin University's Global Sustainability Institute. He teaches courses on energy justice and climate policy, and his work has been supported by grants from the Leverhulme Trust, ESRC, and British Academy.

Research interests include renewable energy decentralization, fuel and transport poverty, and the intersection of climate policy with equity. He has published extensively in journals like Energy Policy, Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, and Global Environmental Change, emphasizing actionable policy solutions.

Notable projects include the CREDS-funded 'Local Green New Deals' study and the FAIR project analyzing UK energy and transport poverty overlaps. He actively engages in policy consultations and public outreach, advocating for equitable climate transitions.