UK Energy System Blueprints for 2050
20 May 2009
20th May 2009
Government efforts to meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets are set to benefit from a new model capable of determining how the UK’s future energy system should be shaped to meet the challenge.
The innovative Energy System Model (ESM), which is being developed by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), will help identify those technologies capable of having the greatest impact in achieving the future energy target and is therefore considered important to efforts to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050.
The ESM will highlight those technologies which potentially pose the lowest technical and financial risk in the face of a number of future demand scenarios.
Lord Hunt, Minister for Sustainable Development and Energy Innovation said: “The way we generate electricity is set to change dramatically over the coming decades, with greater reliance on low-carbon sources like renewables, nuclear and clean coal.
The ETI's Energy System Model will be an important tool for both Government and the Energy sector in determining how we can make that shift in the most effective way, using the most appropriate technology mix and maximising our contribution to the fight against climate change.”
The ESM focuses on technology choices across the entire UK energy system (including electricity) with future energy demand patterns for buildings, transport and industry established via a number of 2050 scenarios. The first version has resulted from an intensive development programme over the past year which has drawn on the experience of ETI Members, specialist energy consultants and researchers.
Dr David Clarke, ETI’s Chief Executive, said that: “Energy modelling will play a key part in shaping the ETI’s priorities for the development, demonstration and eventual commercial deployment of a range of innovative technologies providing affordable and secure low-carbon energy solutions.
When we began work on the ESM, we knew it was an ambitious project and needed to be well researched. The initial outputs give us great confidence as they bear out our other analyses showing that our technology portfolio will make a valuable contribution to the UK’s energy system and capability base.”
The ETI has appointed two consulting companies – CRA International and Redpoint Energy – to work alongside the ETI’s strategy and modelling team. The programme has included a comprehensive review of the energy modelling landscape as well as the development of the model and the 2050 demand scenarios.
The ETI’s approach to energy modelling is distinctive with its focus on technology performance, geographic representation of supply, demand and infrastructure, and the use of statistical techniques to reflect uncertainty. The ESM also uses a “backcasting” technique from 2050 to assess the optimal (or least cost) energy system solutions that meet the input scenarios of energy service demands and UK energy targets.
Dr David Clarke added: “Having CRA and Redpoint involved in the project has allowed us to fast-track the development and bring additional insights and challenges based on their modelling experience and networks.”
It is expected that the ESM will attract significant interest in the UK and internationally (overseas regions can be modelled by adapting the input demand scenarios and other assumptions), and it has been designed with transparency in mind, in terms of the assumptions, technical architecture and formulation.
Further work is underway to refine the ESM and the ETI plans to have concluded an initial analysis of the outputs by the end of the year at the earliest.
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information please contact Raquel Monroy at the Energy Technologies Institute on 01509 202084 / 07827946059 or Nick Mason/Brendan Pittaway at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 237008/ 07985 601787.
About ETI
The ETI is a Limited Liability Partnership, governed by a Board comprising representatives from its member organisations, with each private sector member entitled to one seat on the Board.
The ETI’s six private members are BP, Caterpillar, EDF Energy, E.ON, Rolls-Royce and Shell. The UK Government has committed to match support for five further Members. The ETI’s public funds are received from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) through the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). These organisations, together with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), are engaged directly in the ETI’s strategy and programme development.
About the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI): The ETI was established in 2007 and operates as a 50:50 public/private partnership. www.energytechnologies.co.uk
Redpoint Energy
Redpoint Energy is a specialist energy consultancy, advising clients on investments, strategy and regulation across Europe’s liberalised power, gas and carbon markets. Since its formation in October 2004, Redpoint’s clients have included some of Europe’s largest energy companies and financial organisations, as well as government institutions.
The firm specialises in market analytics, investment analytics, risk strategies, energy policy and regulation, and has provided advice and analysis on areas including electricity trading arrangements, generation asset investment, risk measurement, retail pricing strategies and carbon market price formation. http://www.redpointenergy.co.uk/
CRA International
CRA International is a leading global consulting firm that offers economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, industries, accounting firms, and governments around the world. http://www.crai.com
Government efforts to meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets are set to benefit from a new model capable of determining how the UK’s future energy system should be shaped to meet the challenge.
The innovative Energy System Model (ESM), which is being developed by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), will help identify those technologies capable of having the greatest impact in achieving the future energy target and is therefore considered important to efforts to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050.
The ESM will highlight those technologies which potentially pose the lowest technical and financial risk in the face of a number of future demand scenarios.
Lord Hunt, Minister for Sustainable Development and Energy Innovation said: “The way we generate electricity is set to change dramatically over the coming decades, with greater reliance on low-carbon sources like renewables, nuclear and clean coal.
The ETI's Energy System Model will be an important tool for both Government and the Energy sector in determining how we can make that shift in the most effective way, using the most appropriate technology mix and maximising our contribution to the fight against climate change.”
The ESM focuses on technology choices across the entire UK energy system (including electricity) with future energy demand patterns for buildings, transport and industry established via a number of 2050 scenarios. The first version has resulted from an intensive development programme over the past year which has drawn on the experience of ETI Members, specialist energy consultants and researchers.
Dr David Clarke, ETI’s Chief Executive, said that: “Energy modelling will play a key part in shaping the ETI’s priorities for the development, demonstration and eventual commercial deployment of a range of innovative technologies providing affordable and secure low-carbon energy solutions.
When we began work on the ESM, we knew it was an ambitious project and needed to be well researched. The initial outputs give us great confidence as they bear out our other analyses showing that our technology portfolio will make a valuable contribution to the UK’s energy system and capability base.”
The ETI has appointed two consulting companies – CRA International and Redpoint Energy – to work alongside the ETI’s strategy and modelling team. The programme has included a comprehensive review of the energy modelling landscape as well as the development of the model and the 2050 demand scenarios.
The ETI’s approach to energy modelling is distinctive with its focus on technology performance, geographic representation of supply, demand and infrastructure, and the use of statistical techniques to reflect uncertainty. The ESM also uses a “backcasting” technique from 2050 to assess the optimal (or least cost) energy system solutions that meet the input scenarios of energy service demands and UK energy targets.
Dr David Clarke added: “Having CRA and Redpoint involved in the project has allowed us to fast-track the development and bring additional insights and challenges based on their modelling experience and networks.”
It is expected that the ESM will attract significant interest in the UK and internationally (overseas regions can be modelled by adapting the input demand scenarios and other assumptions), and it has been designed with transparency in mind, in terms of the assumptions, technical architecture and formulation.
Further work is underway to refine the ESM and the ETI plans to have concluded an initial analysis of the outputs by the end of the year at the earliest.
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information please contact Raquel Monroy at the Energy Technologies Institute on 01509 202084 / 07827946059 or Nick Mason/Brendan Pittaway at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 237008/ 07985 601787.
About ETI
The ETI is a Limited Liability Partnership, governed by a Board comprising representatives from its member organisations, with each private sector member entitled to one seat on the Board.
The ETI’s six private members are BP, Caterpillar, EDF Energy, E.ON, Rolls-Royce and Shell. The UK Government has committed to match support for five further Members. The ETI’s public funds are received from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) through the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). These organisations, together with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), are engaged directly in the ETI’s strategy and programme development.
About the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI): The ETI was established in 2007 and operates as a 50:50 public/private partnership. www.energytechnologies.co.uk
Redpoint Energy
Redpoint Energy is a specialist energy consultancy, advising clients on investments, strategy and regulation across Europe’s liberalised power, gas and carbon markets. Since its formation in October 2004, Redpoint’s clients have included some of Europe’s largest energy companies and financial organisations, as well as government institutions.
The firm specialises in market analytics, investment analytics, risk strategies, energy policy and regulation, and has provided advice and analysis on areas including electricity trading arrangements, generation asset investment, risk measurement, retail pricing strategies and carbon market price formation. http://www.redpointenergy.co.uk/
CRA International
CRA International is a leading global consulting firm that offers economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, industries, accounting firms, and governments around the world. http://www.crai.com