Bold and sustained action on clean energy “imperative” now and beyond 2030
The first Future Energy Scenarios (FES) report from NESO, the National Energy System Operator, has concluded Britain will only unlock the benefits of net zero by 2050 in an affordable and secure way if bold and sustained action on clean energy is taken now and beyond 2030.
The report Future Energy Scenarios: Pathways to Net Zero 2025, outlines NESO’s expectation to see electricity demand increase from 290 Terawatt-hour (TWh) today to as much as 785 TWh by 2050. This almost three-fold increase in demand emphasises the need, says NESO, to accelerate the delivery of clean electricity, bioenergy, hydrogen, and energy storage solutions.
FES 2025 presents three potential pathways to achieve net zero, each varying in its reliance on electrification, hydrogen, bioenergy, and consumer engagement.
The report also identifies four key waves in Britain’s journey to net zero. Having already laid the initial foundation, it says, the focus now shifts to the second wave: scaling up markets by 2030 to integrate new low-carbon technologies to deliver clean power. Success in this phase will pave the way for the third and fourth waves, leading to growth and completion by 2050.
Fintan Slye, Chief Executive of NESO, “Over the past year, we have run the electricity system at 95% zero-carbon for the first time and phased out coal entirely from our energy system. But this isn’t enough. We need to go further and faster, accelerating the roll-out of clean energy technologies is imperative to help deliver a clean and affordable energy system in the long-term.
“The choices made today will shape the success of each wave of Britain’s transition. That means speeding up the adoption of energy efficiency measures, empowering households and businesses to make informed choices on things like demand flexibility, purchasing an electric car and switching to low-carbon heating.”
In the report NESO highlights several crucial measures to ensure a secure and affordable transition to net zero, namely:
Rapid development of infrastructure for electricity, gas, hydrogen, and carbon capture.
Promotion of energy efficiency measures, innovative tariffs, and demand flexibility to save money for consumers.
Incentives for the industrial sector to switch to low-carbon fuels and embrace carbon capture and storage (CCS).