Is it possible to get an 80% cut in emissions?

One of the questions I wanted to answer was how renewables could meet our energy demand. Last week our class had to complete a report on energy demand for the UK.

One scenario envisaged restricted government expenditure on renewables combined with reductions in demand for energy whereas the other assumed a large increase in government expenditure in renewables, but with no restrictions in demand.

Combined Heat and Power (not strictly renewable, but an alternative energy source that captures the heat from power stations and uses it to warm our homes) Biomass (the burning of biofuels), Wind and Tidal were considered to have the greatest energy output for the least cost and the lowest emissions. Our report assumed the continued decommissioning of nuclear power, but, perhaps surprisingly, that fossil fuels will still contribute at least half of the UK’s energy requirements by 2030. Renewables and alternative energy would contribute about 40% of energy requirements by 2030. This is compared to 5% right now.

The bad news is that unless there is a significant change in policy we will miss the 2020 CO2 emissions target of a 26% reduction set by the Climate Change Act 2008. The good news is that the 2050 target of a decrease of 80% will be met. So what does this mean in real life? Well, it depends in part on your faith in people, governments and markets. If the private sector does not sharply increase investment in renewable energy, then the public will have to cut their demand for energy by a lot. That means reducing air travel, use cars less and improving energy efficiency at home. Alternatively, the government could spend billions on renewables - that means higher taxes, but you might be able to fly and drive a lot more if you have the money.

Either way: a reduction in energy demand or an increase in government expenditure on renewables we will have to pay. The alternative is faith in the unproven Carbon Capture and Storage or in the unpalatable Nuclear option. Give me wind any day...