TY - JOUR
T1 - Transition pathways for a UK low-carbon electricity system
T2 - Comparing scenarios and technology implications
AU - Barton, John
AU - Davies, Lloyd
AU - Dooley, Ben
AU - Foxon, Timothy
AU - Galloway, Stuart
AU - Hammond, Geoffrey
AU - O'Grady, Aine
AU - Robertson, Elizabeth
AU - Thomson, Murray
PY - 2018/2/1
Y1 - 2018/2/1
N2 - The United Kingdom (UK) has placed itself on a transition towards a low-carbon economy and society, through the imposition of a goal of reducing its ‘greenhouse’ gas emissions by 80% by 2050. A set of three low-carbon ‘Transition Pathways’ were developed to examine the influence of different governance arrangements on achieving a low-carbon future. They focus on the power sector, including the potential for increasing use of low-carbon electricity for heating and transport. These transition pathways were developed by starting from narrative storylines regarding different governance framings, drawing on interviews and workshops with stakeholders and analysis of historical analogies. Here the quantified pathways are compared and contrasted with the main scenarios developed in the UK Government's 2011 Carbon Plan. This can aid an informed debate on the technical feasibility and social acceptability of realising transition pathways for decarbonising the UK energy sector by 2050. The contribution of these pathways to meeting Britain's energy and carbon reduction goals are therefore evaluated on a ‘whole systems’ basis, including the implications of ‘upstream emissions’ arising from the ‘fuel supply chain’ ahead of power generators themselves.
AB - The United Kingdom (UK) has placed itself on a transition towards a low-carbon economy and society, through the imposition of a goal of reducing its ‘greenhouse’ gas emissions by 80% by 2050. A set of three low-carbon ‘Transition Pathways’ were developed to examine the influence of different governance arrangements on achieving a low-carbon future. They focus on the power sector, including the potential for increasing use of low-carbon electricity for heating and transport. These transition pathways were developed by starting from narrative storylines regarding different governance framings, drawing on interviews and workshops with stakeholders and analysis of historical analogies. Here the quantified pathways are compared and contrasted with the main scenarios developed in the UK Government's 2011 Carbon Plan. This can aid an informed debate on the technical feasibility and social acceptability of realising transition pathways for decarbonising the UK energy sector by 2050. The contribution of these pathways to meeting Britain's energy and carbon reduction goals are therefore evaluated on a ‘whole systems’ basis, including the implications of ‘upstream emissions’ arising from the ‘fuel supply chain’ ahead of power generators themselves.
KW - Transition pathways
KW - Scenarios
KW - Energy systems modelling
KW - Whole systems appraisal
KW - United Kingdom
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85031327363&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.rser.2017.10.007
DO - 10.1016/j.rser.2017.10.007
M3 - Article
VL - 82
SP - 2779
EP - 2790
JO - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
JF - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
SN - 1364-0321
IS - 3
ER -