Charity Information
Coalition launches 2050 Energy Report
27/07/2010 14:29:00
Today, Secretary of State, Chris Huhne launched the Government's Annual Energy Statement and and the 2050 Pathways Analysis Report. The report provides six possible pathways to 2050, plus one that illustrates the implications of choosing a path reliant on fossil fuels. The accompanying online 2050 Pathways Calculator allows people to explore the combinations of effort in each sector to meet the UK’s emission reduction targets while also matching energy supply and demand.
Although the pathways differ, the analysis found the follwoing common conclusions:
- Ambitious per capita energy demand reduction is needed
- A substantial level of electrification of heating, transport and industry is needed
- Electricity supply may need to double - and will need to be decarbonised
- A growing level of variable renewable generation increases the challenge of balancing the electricity grid
- An ongoing need for fossil fuels in our energy mix
- Emissions from agriculture, waste, industrial processes and international transport make up a small proportion of emissions today, but by 2050, if no action were taken, emissions from these sectors could exceed the maximum level of emissions for the whole economy