Knowledge Centre
11th September 2009
One of the country's leading scientists has warned that the UK risks blackouts by 2016 if it does not commit to finding new sources of electricity.
And the choice lies between industrialising "large fractions" of the UK countryside – or that of other countries –and committing to a major new building programme for nuclear and as-yet unproven 'clean-coal' power stations.
Cambridge physicist Professor David Mackay takes up a post as chief scientific advisor to the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) from 1 October.
His comments, made unofficially to the BBC, are the latest in a long line of warnings from scientists that the current planning for future energy production will not meet demand.
And he said public opposition to all the long-term solutions could mean that the gap would be filled by more short-term fixes.
"There is a worry that in 2016 there might not be enough electricity," he said. "My guess is that what the market might do is fix that problem by making more gas power stations, which isn't the direction we want to be going in," he said.
"So we really should be upping the build rate of the alternatives as soon as possible."
Incentives for low-carbon technology
The issue of security of energy supply has risen back up the agenda for business groups in recent years, along with concerns over climate change and diminishing fossil fuel production.
Earlier this week, the CBI warned the Government not to loosen intellectual property law in a bid to encourage developing countries to increase production of greener technologies.
Director-general Sir John Cridland told the CBI's Climate Change Forum in London that compulsory licensing of low-carbon technologies would be "counter-productive" and "damaging in the longer term", because it would reduce the incentive for businesses to innovate.
"In any case, the growing number of patents from emerging countries shows that the current regime of protection is working. China has 38 per cent of the patents in solar, for example," he said.
"There could be a role for the World Intellectual Property Organisation in facilitating low-carbon IP, encouraging companies and countries to work together to support developing countries," he added.
IMAGE: Martin Sterba/Czech News Agency/Press Association Images
Lead scientist warns of power blackouts
And the choice lies between industrialising "large fractions" of the UK countryside – or that of other countries –and committing to a major new building programme for nuclear and as-yet unproven 'clean-coal' power stations.
Cambridge physicist Professor David Mackay takes up a post as chief scientific advisor to the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) from 1 October.
His comments, made unofficially to the BBC, are the latest in a long line of warnings from scientists that the current planning for future energy production will not meet demand.
And he said public opposition to all the long-term solutions could mean that the gap would be filled by more short-term fixes.
"There is a worry that in 2016 there might not be enough electricity," he said. "My guess is that what the market might do is fix that problem by making more gas power stations, which isn't the direction we want to be going in," he said.
"So we really should be upping the build rate of the alternatives as soon as possible."
Incentives for low-carbon technology
The issue of security of energy supply has risen back up the agenda for business groups in recent years, along with concerns over climate change and diminishing fossil fuel production.
Earlier this week, the CBI warned the Government not to loosen intellectual property law in a bid to encourage developing countries to increase production of greener technologies.
Director-general Sir John Cridland told the CBI's Climate Change Forum in London that compulsory licensing of low-carbon technologies would be "counter-productive" and "damaging in the longer term", because it would reduce the incentive for businesses to innovate.
"In any case, the growing number of patents from emerging countries shows that the current regime of protection is working. China has 38 per cent of the patents in solar, for example," he said.
"There could be a role for the World Intellectual Property Organisation in facilitating low-carbon IP, encouraging companies and countries to work together to support developing countries," he added.
IMAGE: Martin Sterba/Czech News Agency/Press Association Images
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