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Renewable Energy

Why we work on energy

Wind farm, Middelgrunden Wind Park, Copenhagen, Denmark

It’s hard to exaggerate the importance of energy in our daily lives. We need energy to power our homes, our work, our schools, our shops, our transport - to mention a few. Reliable and affordable energy is essential for our whole economy.

But our use of fossil fuels - like oil, coal and gas - as the primary source of energy is environmentally unsustainable.

Globally, energy use contributes almost two thirds of greenhouse gas emissions, and these emissions are rising. Without urgent action to quit this fossil fuel addiction, the world is heading for dangerous levels of warming, well above the 1.5C danger threshold.

As well as climate change, our energy use has other negative environmental impacts. To maintain our reliance on oil and gas, the world has been turning increasingly to unconventional reserves such as tar sands and shale gas, and to dangerous drilling in hostile and pristine environments, like the Arctic.  Many of the world’s most precious and diverse ecosystems are now under threat from oil and gas exploration.

Renewable energy is the future

The good news is that renewable energy is a viable alternative to fossil fuels. By switching to renewable energy, we can protect our natural environment, supply our need for energy and help avoid the dangerous consequences of global warming.

Through ambitious improvements in energy efficiency, electrification of some key sectors of the economy, increased reliance on a wide range of renewable technologies, and careful use of bio-energy, the world could end its dependence on polluting fossil fuels.

How we’re helping decarbonise the power sector

Globally, climate and energy are priorities for us. We’re working with governments, businesses and local communities to achieve our vision of 100% renewable energy by 2050.

The Energy Report, our groundbreaking study of the world’s energy system, shows in detail how this vision is possible using technologies already available today.

In the UK, our focus is on the power sector. Our report, Positive Energy: how renewable electricity can transform the UK by 2030, proves that decarbonising the UK’s electricity supply by 2030 is possible.  With a combination of renewable electricity, energy efficiency and greater interconnection to European grids, we can cut emissions both sustainably and affordably. In the UK, we are lucky enough to sit on a goldmine of renewable energy resources, both onshore and offshore, which exceed our demands.

A transition to a low-carbon economy, though it will be challenging at times, could provide tremendous economic opportunity for the UK. The government must show that it is serious about meeting its carbon targets under the Climate Change act by putting in place policies which provide appropriate and long term support for both energy efficiency and renewable energy.

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