Power Up
Defining a Vision for 2030
Globally, the biggest contributing factor to climate change is the burning of fossil fuels. In the UK energy supply sector, business and residential use account for 56% of GHG emissions while transport accounts for 28%. In total the burning of fossil fuels in the UK accounts for nearly 85% of all our GHG emissions. In this chapter, we focus primarily on grid energy supply (i.e. not transport) although it is important to note that the shift from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles will create additional demand on the grid. We will address this in part in the Travel Better chapter. To reach net zero as rapidly as possible, we need to electrify virtually everything (in particular heating for buildings and transport), providing this entirely from renewables.
While fossil fuel use is the principal cause of climate change, at the heart of environmental breakdown is the separation of nature from human activity. Over recent centuries our supposed ‘domination’ of nature, as a commodity to be tamed and exploited, has been instrumental in creating the issues we now face. In our use of energy this manifests itself in the notion of ‘somewhere else’ cause and effects, with both the production of energy and the subsequent damage it causes taking place out of sight, and often out of mind. As with nature itself, there is an opportunity to reconnect with where energy comes from. This chapter, therefore, as well as looking at the technical challenge and statistics, seeks to define a vision where we can actually see the source of our energy production here in Dorset, and in doing so, asks us to reconnect with how we power our lives for the first time since the birth of the industrial age.
In 2030…
All Dorset’s energy needs are provided by renewable sources, all of them situated within the county’s boundaries or offshore. The transition has been just, equitable and produced wider benefits to residents, including the creation of local jobs and lower bills.
Most energy production is owned by the community through various mechanisms: Council-controlled installations that return profits to residents through reduced local taxes, mutual organisations who return profits to members, direct community ownership, and homeowners themselves.
The link between energy requirements (for example how many wind turbines we need) and our energy usage is clearly understood, supporting the on-going efforts of businesses, the public sector, communities, and individuals to reduce their energy demand.
No biofuels or any other ‘renewable’ technologies are employed that require imported materials or are in some other way damaging to eco-systems.
Globally, the biggest contributing factor to climate change is the burning of fossil fuels. In the UK energy supply sector, business and residential use account for 56% of GHG emissions while transport accounts for 28%. In total the burning of fossil fuels in the UK accounts for nearly 85% of all our GHG emissions. In this chapter, we focus primarily on grid energy supply (i.e. not transport) although it is important to note that the shift from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles will create additional demand on the grid. We will address this in part in the Travel Better chapter. To reach net zero as rapidly as possible, we need to electrify virtually everything (in particular heating for buildings and transport), providing this entirely from renewables.
While fossil fuel use is the principal cause of climate change, at the heart of environmental breakdown is the separation of nature from human activity. Over recent centuries our supposed ‘domination’ of nature, as a commodity to be tamed and exploited, has been instrumental in creating the issues we now face. In our use of energy this manifests itself in the notion of ‘somewhere else’ cause and effects, with both the production of energy and the subsequent damage it causes taking place out of sight, and often out of mind. As with nature itself, there is an opportunity to reconnect with where energy comes from. This chapter, therefore, as well as looking at the technical challenge and statistics, seeks to define a vision where we can actually see the source of our energy production here in Dorset, and in doing so, asks us to reconnect with how we power our lives for the first time since the birth of the industrial age.
In 2030…
All Dorset’s energy needs are provided by renewable sources, all of them situated within the county’s boundaries or offshore. The transition has been just, equitable and produced wider benefits to residents, including the creation of local jobs and lower bills.
Most energy production is owned by the community through various mechanisms: Council-controlled installations that return profits to residents through reduced local taxes, mutual organisations who return profits to members, direct community ownership, and homeowners themselves.
The link between energy requirements (for example how many wind turbines we need) and our energy usage is clearly understood, supporting the on-going efforts of businesses, the public sector, communities, and individuals to reduce their energy demand.
No biofuels or any other ‘renewable’ technologies are employed that require imported materials or are in some other way damaging to eco-systems.