Wireline Issue 44 - Spring 2019

TR & NSITION ENERGY

The substitution of gas for coal in UK power generation has been the largest contributor to reducing UK carbon emissions.

Going forward, developments in renewable energy and energy storage technologies raise the possibility of an electricity system driven primarily by clean energy. However, the intermittency of renewables means that additional sources are needed and gas, currently responsible for about 40% of electricity generation, is the most suited for flexible generation. Moreover, demand for electricity is likely to increase as we substitute other primary energy sources for electricity; for example, from the adoption of electric vehicles in place of petrol or diesel-powered models. Although cars and light vehicles may increasingly be powered by electricity in future, other transport needs such as maritime transport and aviation will continue to depend on fossil fuels for the foreseeable future. Likewise, domestic heating remains a difficult area to decarbonise, requiring nationwide household infrastructure changes. If the energy industry is successfully decarbonised, there will still be residual emissions from the production of oil products like certain petrochemicals, synthetic fabrics, lightweight composites and plastics. These will continue to be produced at an industrial level, and those emissions will need to be countered, possibly with large- scale carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology. Furthermore, the development of technologies for the utilisation of alternative fuels or generation of energy from renewable sources requires energy, most likely sourced from the biggest contributors to the energy mix: hydrocarbons.

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