Greening Our Energy: How Soon? Looking back and looking forward, to 2030 and beyond – A layperson’s guide

In the light of the UK Government’s new report Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity (13th Dec 2024), and the UK’s commitment achieve netzero by 2050, this talk looks at the UK energy system and how it has evolved from 2010 to today, and how it will evolve through 2030 towards 2050.

It is aimed at a non specialist lay audience, and avoids graphs and technical jargon.

It provides a new approach to communicating the complexities of the transition from a fossil fuel dominated energy system to one dominated by renewables.

For those who are well versed in energy matters, it is hoped it will support their efforts in engaging with a wider audience on the path to net zero.

(c) Richard Erskine, 21st December 2024

REFERENCES

Mackay (2008), Sustainable Energy without the hot air, http://www.withouthotair.com/ 

Frank Niele (2005), Energy: Engine of Evolution, Shell Global Solutions

Centre for Alternative Technology (2019), Zero Carbon Britain: Rising to the Climate Emergency, https://cat.org.uk/info-resources/zero-carbon-britain/research-reports/zero-carbon-britain-rising-to-the-climate-emergency/  (this is an update of a previous CAT report Zero Carbon Britain: Rethinking the Future)

Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, Oxford University, Wind and solar power could significantly exceed Britain’s energy needs, https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2023-09-26-wind-and-solar-power-could-significantly-exceed-britain-s-energy-needs  

Can solar and wind power Britain? An update of David MacKay’s numbers, Hannah Ritchie, https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/can-solar-and-wind-power-britain 

Decarbonising the energy system by 2050 could save trillions – Oxford study, https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2022-09-14-decarbonising-energy-system-2050-could-save-trillions-oxford-study  

UK Energy flows https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/energy-flow-charts  

Digest of UK Energy Statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes  

UK Energy Consumption at Parish Level https://impact-tool.org.uk/  

Delivering Clean Heat: A Policy Plan, Nesta, https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/Delivering_clean_heat_-_a_policy_plan_i9LB7le.pdf  

Insulate Britain! Yes, but by how much?, Richard Erskine, https://essaysconcerning.com/2021/11/08/insulate-britain-yes-but-by-how-much/  

Climate Change Committee, Progress Report 2023 https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/2023-progress-report-to-parliament/

Clean Power 2030 https://www.neso.energy/publications/clean-power-2030 

Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity, HMG, 13th Dec 2024, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-power-2030-action-plan 

Hannah Ritchie, How much more electricity will the UK need to switch to electric vehicles?,15th September 2023, 7th August 2023, https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/uk-ev-electricity-demand 

Hannah Ritchie, The future of low-carbon heating is heat pumps, https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/heat-pumps  

Energy Saving Trust, From flats to terraced houses: heat pumps are suitable for all property types, 3rd May 2022, https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/from-flats-to-terraced-houses-heat-pumps-are-suitable-for-all-property-types/  

Large-scale electricity storage https://royalsociety.org/news-resources/projects/low-carbon-energy-programme/large-scale-electricity-storage/ 

SACEN at https://transitionstroud.org/transition-stroud-action-groups/action-group-on-community-energy/

Heating a Grade 2 Listed Georgian property with an Air-Source Heat Pump https://essaysconcerning.com/2023/03/29/heating-a-listed-cotswold-stone-building-with-an-air-source-heat-pump-our-journey/

VERSION NOTE

[This NEW VERSION is one that was presented in person to the Cam & Dursley branch of the University of the 3rd Age (U3A) on 28th November 2024. It is a complete reworking of a talk I gave in February 2024 https://essaysconcerning.com/2024/02/22/greening-our-energy-how-soon/ . The recorded version included here is a slightly amended version of the U3A talk, including a little more on the Government’s Clean Power in 2030 plans, for example].