The energy revolution

For years we’ve all taken energy for granted, expecting it to be there whenever we need it in limitless amounts at a price that’s right. But with worries over the security of energy supplies and mounting evidence of climate change we need new technologies to help us adapt.

If we were to continue generating, distributing and using energy as we do now then energy’s future will be far from bright. The UK’s own gas and oil reserves are dwindling, so without alternative, secure energy sources we could be at the mercy of volatile global energy markets.

At the same time the burning of these fossil fuels has led to a build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (especially CO2) which is causing the lobal warming that is driving recent rapid climate change. Left unchecked climate change will lead to droughts, temperature changes and flooding that will devastate economies and ecosystems around the globe. If we want to avoid both these catastrophic scenarios then we will need an updated energy infrastructure that can integrate ‘renewable’ energy sources – such as bioenergy, wind, wave or tidal, and solar power – that do not add to global warming.