As countries across the world commit to bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, Giles Lister, of Fisher German, looks at what needs to be done to achieve this.
A number of countries are committing to net zero emissions economies by 2050.
There will be a requirement to develop techniques to ensure net zero carbon and zero-carbon emissions are available to be used collectively to provide flexible energy generation during periods of low wind and solar.
This will enable the UK to maintain a secure supply where demand could require a significant increase in capacity by 2050.
It will be key to ensure that carbon emissions created in a range of sectors, including industry, heat, transport and power generation, are balanced by taking the same amount out of the atmosphere through carbon capture.
An example of this is the production of energy through the use of green and blue hydrogen, being renewable and fossil resources respectively, with associated infrastructure to include carbon capture, transportation, and storage.
This requires the development of the network of infrastructure to enable timely distribution to industry and households, which will in turn need to transition to provide the same efficient matching of supply and demand as the existing gas network.
The required new infrastructure will need to be extendable, providing a replicable model for the UK.
Zero-carbon systems, where there has been substantial growth, enable energy production which is generated from windfarms, solar farms, nuclear and biomass, but this has issues associated with maintaining a consistent supply and being flexible where there is a requirement to store and release energy on demand.
Interconnector and electricity storage capacity growth will provide input to the supply requirements.
Decarbonisation cannot be delivered by the energy suppliers in isolation. Society needs to adopt a greener approach by using less energy and making informed decisions on when to use it.
A sustainable future in the world of business, our homes and transport is the goal, and we all have to strive towards ensuring our requirements are based on an environmentally conscious decision.
Fisher German is well positioned to facilitate the required changes through to 2050.
We can enable the construction of new infrastructure and transitioning rights for existing infrastructure to accommodate the new supply sources, network and storage necessary to attain the targets and aspirations of the nation.
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