Decarbonising Energy: The Pathway to Net Zero

The implications of rising greenhouse gas emissions is an issue of major public and political interest – a position reflected in the UK’s 2019 legislative commitment to be “Net Zero by 2050”. This Special Report explores the central themes arising from the low carbon energy transition and explains why the challenges faced in delivering Net Zero should not be underestimated. It sets out how the road to Net Zero will involve a repurposing of not only our energy system but also our own behaviour. With a focus on power generation, the report also describes how moving from 53% to 100% ‘low carbon’ power generation in 30 years will require investment in renewable technologies at an unprecedented level.

Key questions examined in the report include:

• How important is renewable technology to global and UK energy supply? Have renewable projects been successful in stabilising harmful levels of greenhouse gas emissions?
• What is the Paris Agreement and Net Zero policy, where did they come from and how realistic are their goals?
• What are the UK’s main generation technologies? What policy drivers determine investment in renewable technology?
• What new technologies will be required to deliver Net Zero?

Written with both the lawyer and non-lawyer in mind, this report will appeal to those with an interest in the energy sector as well as those who are enthusiastic about the implications of the radical Net Zero ambition on the energy system as a whole.