During his wilderness years on the Labour backbenches, former Party Leader and now Energy Secretary Ed Miliband MP recorded the podcast series “Reasons To Be Cheerful” with presenter Geoff Lloyd.
Ranging across a wealth of different innovations, technologies and themes – from universal basic income and reformed parental leave to their hopes for AI and driverless cars – listening today feels like the opposite of watching an episode of Black Mirror. The jagged scepticism and occasional horror presented by Charlie Bookers’ black comedy was replaced with an understated – dare I say it quintessentially British – hope for the future.
Relistening today, it is noticeable that Miliband consistently returns to the same theme – his optimism that decarbonisation can be an engine for prosperity, economic growth and combating inequality.
With decarbonisation so frequently inaccurately presented as an expensive indulgence, it can be easy to slip into doom-and-gloom. Fortunately, there are many reasons to remain cheerful about the UK’s net zero transition, presenting significant communication opportunities for UK energy businesses:
1. Net Zero AI
It’s rare for artificial intelligence to be discussed without mention of the significant power and water requirements of digital infrastructure.
In 2022, the International Energy Agency estimated that data centres accounted for around 1.5% of global energy consumption alongside 3.7% of emissions. This was before the launch of ChatGPT and the massive global expansion in global AI usage with a corresponding increase in power demands.
Within this sobering context, it was refreshing then to read a new study published in Nature focused upon AI’s ability to reduce carbon emissions. The analysis, led by LSE’s Grantham Research Institute on Climate change and the Environment (GRICCE), found that using AI to develop more efficient energy systems and other innovations could reduce global carbon emissions by as much as 5.4 billion tonnes a year by 2035. This would shave off more than 15% of our current total emissions of around 35 billion tonnes a year – more than quadruple the estimated carbon emissions from AI data centres.
Far from being a dry academic paper, the research is filled with hope for the potential of AI to help transform the way we live for the better: from macro changes like developing and managing more efficient energy systems, squeezing additional capacity out of wind and solar renewable generation so that they produce more power, or helping to reduce emissions from agriculture; to making it easier for individuals to go green by helping them to chart out a more energy efficient route for their EV or nudging consumers towards lower carbon, plant-based foods.
It’s great to see the debate build upon the important discussion of the carbon costs of AI by recognising the technology’s ability to help people rapidly reduce our carbon emissions.
I for one look forward to welcoming our new low carbon AI-overlords!
2. Largest CfD Auction ever
The UK is celebrating another important milestone on the road to Net Zero securing a total of 14.7GW of renewable energy generation, including a record breaking 4.9GW of solar and 8.4GW of new offshore wind generation capacity, within the Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round (AR) 7 auction.
As the last chance to commission projects likely to come online before the end of the decade, early estimates suggested that AR7 needed to allocate at least 13GW to have a chance of delivering the low carbon electrical generation capacity needed to reach Clean Power 2030.
On top of the scale of the challenge, expectations were further lowered by the missteps in 2023’s AR5 auction, which failed to secure any new offshore or onshore wind projects due to unrealistic pricing assumptions.
The welcome success of AR7 is already having a ripple affect across the UK’s low carbon economy, boosting confidence, crowding in investment, and helping to drive down the costs of decarbonisation.
When the history books are written, I’m confident that AR7 will be recognised as an important step on the road, where the UK beat the odds and set itself irreversibly back on track towards a more resilient, homegrown, low-cost, low-carbon energy future.
3. Great British Energy opens Aberdeen HQ
Finally, as a proud Aberdonian, I was delighted to see the unveiling of the publicly-owned energy company’s new headquarters at Marischal Square.
With £8.3 billion in Government funding, Great British Energy (GB Energy) is tasked with building 15GW of clean energy generation and storage capacity by the end of the decade, supporting over 10,000 jobs across the UK, and driving delivery of Clean Power 2030.
Growing up in the “oil and gas capital of Europe” 25 years ago, I remember walking past Marischal Square every day on my way to school. It makes me smile to think that the transformation of a forgotten and neglected corner of a small North East city is now at the forefront of the UK’s transition to a cleaner, greener, more prosperous future.
With so much positive energy, it’s hard not to feel not feel excited for the next opportunities for UK industry to lead the energy transition.
If you’re looking to communicate your role in the UK’s energy transition, TEAM LEWIS can help. Get in touch to see how we can support your goals.
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