UK must pursue energy efficiency more aggressively to meet emissions target

The UK must pursue energy efficiency more aggressively to meet its target of an 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2050, according to a new report from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC).

“UK energy policy goals are extraordinarily ambitious. Meeting them will require efforts well beyond the bounds of historical experience,” says Jim Skea, research director at UKERC.

But the goals are feasible if the Government pursues tougher energy efficiency measures at the same time as working to decarbonise the country’s electricity sector by 2050.

Decarbonising the electricity supply will require a mixture of nuclear, renewables and coal plants fitted with carbon capture and storage technology. New renewable capacity cannot come online quickly enough to meet UK and EU targets, says the report, and will have to go hand in hand with other energy sources.

However, aggressively pursuing energy efficiency could dramatically reduce the cost of decarbonising the UK, as well as opening up electricity to be used more in transport and buildings.

The UKERC says it could be possible to halve the energy used in the country’s homes through a mixture of energy efficiency improvements and modest lifestyle changes.

For further information:
www.ukerc.ac.uk

Fuente: Energy Efficiency News