The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published* a policy plan setting out aims to enhance the … read more

Published today by the government, the Net Zero Strategy sets out how the UK will deliver on its commitment to reach … read more

Boris Johnson has announced the government’s ten point plan for a green economy, jobs and industry.   Prof Rob Gross, … read more

The Prime Minister is expected to announce a new nation offshore wind plan.   Prof Michael Grubb, Professor of International … read more

The UK Government has announced a more than £500m investment in green technologies.   Prof Myles Allen, Professor of Geosystem … read more

Researchers publishing in Nature have demonstrated an aircraft with no moving parts where thrust is generated by an ionic wind system. read more

Research published in Joule shows that wind power reduces emissions while causing climatic impacts such as warmer temperatures. read more

Plans for a £1.3bn tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay are to be backed in a government-commissioned review. read more

A report from the parliamentary Energy and Climate Change Committee has warned the government that, based on current trends, the UK will miss its target to provide 15% of energy from renewable sources. read more

We’ve become accustomed to a reliable supply of electricity, but short, local power cuts still occur. And every year at this time we hear questions about whether we have enough power station capacity to meet demand – and about the risks of the ‘lights going out’. What causes power cuts and what can we expect in future? What will be the impact on reliability from changes in the electricity system from renewables and new nuclear, as well as the phasing out of coal power stations by 2025? What role will smart systems play, and what measures will be used to balance demand as well as supply? A new briefing document prepared by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) explores these questions and addresses the myths and truths about power cuts and blackouts. read more

New onshore wind farms will be excluded from a subsidy scheme from April 2016; together with planning and other changes, some say this could halt onshore wind in its tracks despite it being the cheapest source of clean electricity in the UK. Early closure of the renewable obligation subsidy and a review of feed-in tariffs will affect the future of solar. The ‘climate change levy’ now also applies to renewable energy sources, despite the fact they emit no net carbon. Scientists and engineers agree that the electricity sector needs to be decarbonised to meet UK climate targets. So where does this leave the technologies; and what future for renewable electricity in the UK? How will these policy shifts affect the UK energy mix, emissions and climate targets? And what messages does it send to investors and to climate negotiators in Paris? read more

The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) have launched a scientific calculator that investigates the impact on carbon emissions of biomass sourced from North America to produce electricity. read more

The Royal Academy of Engineering’s new report, Wind energy: implications of large-scale deployment on the UK energy system, assesses the potential for wind energy to help meet the government‘s own target of 15% of the UK’s energy from renewable sources by 2020 and 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. read more

The energy minister, John Hayes, and the secretary of state for energy and climate change, Ed Davey, commented on wind farms in the UK. read more

Speakers from the National Grid briefed journalists on plans to introduce a new wind power forecasting system to help make the most of wind generation in scheduling and operating the electricity grid, as part of efforts to meet the UK’s target of generating 15% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by the end of the decade. read more

This briefing launched a UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) report on the cost of offshore wind relative to other means of electricity generation, examining recent rises and likely future costs. read more

In a new report, the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) argues that, to ensure a secure and reliable power supply, the UK faces a choice: as well as pursuing the large-scale deployment of renewables, we must either sustain (or increase) our reliance on fossil fuel generation, or commit to a second wave of nuclear build from 2025 onwards. Key authors of the report came to the SMC to discuss the report and the decisions that we face on nuclear new build. read more

In the aftermath of the Copenhagen climate change summit, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics has launched a public consultation on the potential of new types of biofuels, such as fuel produced by algae, to provide us with a greener and more ethical source of renewable energy. The SMC hosted this briefing in advance of the official launch to brief journalists on the consultation and the issues involved. read more

The UK government has published a White Paper on future energy strategies, including plans to increase sources of renewable energy and set targets on greenhouse gas emissions. read more

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) is launching the results of an ambitious independent study looking at how this can be achieved, while also dealing with anxieties about energy security. The report’s authors discussed what achieving the target will mean for different low-carbon technologies, the environment, our lifestyles and the development of a shockproof energy system. read more