‘We could and should have started on net zero years ago’
NET zero is much broader than just providing clean energy for the electricity grid. It’s about all our greenhouse gas emissions from transport, in our homes, our workplaces, farms and more.
This will bring significant challenges in a few decades, but at our current stage of transition to net zero, we’re surrounded by opportunities.
Using less energy, where this can be achieved, should be our first priority.
Building regulations should be changed to ensure that houses built today are fit for 2050, because it’s cheaper to build properly than retrofit.
But we do need to improve older housing stock, there’s no reason why we should have the leakiest houses in Europe.
Heat pumps are amazing because they steal energy from the environment.
Modern ones are up to 400 per cent efficient and they should be mandated in new houses. Most existing houses can have heat pumps fitted, but the government is failing to show leadership by not countering the many myths that are out there.
Even if adding heat pumps means we need more gas power plants, we would be reducing our emissions compared with gas boilers in homes.
Electric vehicles are also far more energy efficient than yesterday’s technology, and electric bikes and cargo bikes are better still.
There’s a pattern here, we will need more electricity and as long as we exploit the available renewable energy, we’ll be making progress even if we end up with some more gas turbines in the short term.
We will look back in 20 years time and wonder why we didn’t make better progress on the easy stuff.