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Briefing Paper Launch:

Delivering our Future Power System

This Briefing Paper provides an in-depth, rigorous and comprehensive assessment of the UK’s progress towards meeting its goal of decarbonising the power system by 2035.

The UK remains one the few countries with emissions targets in line with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. A core part of its emissions reduction roadmap is the decarbonisation of the electricity power system. Whilst emissions from electricity generation have declined by 73% since 1990, approximately 40% of electricity generation still comes from greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting sources, primarily natural gas. As well as significant increases in low-carbon generation capacity, there will be additional requirements for increases in the capacity to move this generated electricity throughout the GB grid spatially and temporally. As a result, meeting the 2035 target will also require significant increases in network and flexibility capacity.

Despite the unprecedented scale of the undertaking required to deliver our future decarbonised power system, there remains a distinct gap in frameworks that can be used to meaningfully track progress and systematically inform efforts to accelerate it. This Briefing Paper provides a means to do that, showcasing a novel, codified framework that defines the objective of delivering a decarbonised power system, a means of tracking progress and an assessment of the UK’s progress to date. This analysis highlights opportunities to accelerate progress towards the target.

Co-authors:

Ali Ersöz, currently an Investment Principal at Verdane, sources and supports sustainable investments to advance decarbonisation. In 2023, following the completion of his MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures at Imperial, Ali worked at the Energy Futures Lab as a Visiting Researcher, focusing on policies for the UK’s 2035 zero-carbon power system target. Between 2017 and 2022, at Hg Capital, Ali played a key role in tech-focused investments, demonstrating a commitment to innovation and sustainability. Ali’s worked in strategy consulting at OC&C (2013-2017), after he completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in Aerospace and Aerothermal engineering at the University of Cambridge. Outside of work, he enjoys running, podcasts and sailing.

Dr Aidan Rhodes is a Research Fellow based at Imperial College London. He is currently Energy Policy Briefing Papers Fellow at the Energy Futures Lab, working on preparing a range of accessible briefing papers on topics of relevance to energy sector policymakers and stakeholders. Previously, he was part of the Energy Strategy Fellowship team for the UK Research Councils, which was tasked with creating a prospectus of future skills, research and training needs for the UK energy sector, as well as carrying out a large-scale research project on comparing the effectiveness of national energy innovation systems across the world. Aidan has also been Knowledge Exchange Associate at the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC), where he carried out a wide range of activities aimed at connecting and facilitating UK and international energy research efforts.

Panelists:

• Professor Robert Gross – Robert is the Director of the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). He is Professor of Energy Policy and Technology at Imperial College London. He has extensive teaching and post-graduate training experience. Robert is a Fellow and Council member of the Energy Institute. He is also Council member and former Chair of the British Institute of Energy Economists (BIEE). Robert is currently a member of the Academic Advisory Panel for Ofgem (2018 to date). He has been a specialist advisor to 3 Parliamentary Select Committees, has experience of and engagement with UK policymaking, and has published extensively on energy policy, economics and technological innovation.
• James Spooner, Head of M&A, Korkia – James is the Co-founder of energy transition corporate finance boutique RSF Capital Partners LLP from which Korkia acquired its renewables business in 2023. He started his career with a 10-year tenor at Goldman Sachs having graduated from Oxford University with an MSc in Mathematics. James is also a board member of Korkia’s two solar development companies in the UK.
• Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Executive, REA -Prior to joining the REA in 2013, Nina worked for 20 years for the RWE Group (and UK predecessors: National Power, Npower etc.) across fuel engineering and R&D, power station operations (where she was Npower’s first female power station manager) and trading. Her last RWE role was CTO, Essent (RWE’s Dutch business). She is a Board member of Transport for London (TfL), REAL (REA subsidiary), and more recently Royal BAM Group NV. She also advises Carbon Trust, National Grid ESO and Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) and others. She is a Fellow of the Energy Institute. She received her CBE in 2016 for her services to renewable energy sector and promoting diversity in the Energy Industry.

About Energy Futures Lab

Energy Futures Lab is one of seven Global Institutes at Imperial College London. The institute was established to address global energy challenges by identifying and leading new opportunities to serve industry, government and society at large through high quality research, evidence and advocacy for positive change. The institute aims to promote energy innovation and advance systemic solutions for a sustainable energy future by bringing together the science, engineering and policy expertise at Imperial and fostering collaboration with a wide variety of external partners.