This week’s news has focused on the government’s renewable plans ahead of Glasgow’s COP26 summit this weekend. These plans focus on an increase in EV vehicles, a net zero electric grid strategy and investment into a nuclear plant which could provide 14% of Britain’s energy. Additionally, the energy market price has slightly decreased in the last few days which is hopefully an early sign on a more manageable winter for energy pricing while we still heavily rely on fossil fuels. Regardless, with the recent documentation from the government and the noise surrounding the COP26 summit, the future of energy is green.
COP26
With the COP26 summit starting within two days, the news around the next few weeks will focus on the discourse and precedents coming out of the event. The COP (conference of the parties) will be the 26th time the nations have met to discuss the climate, however, this year’s summit appears to be the most important since 2015’s Paris agreement. With COP26 being hosted in Glasgow, the UK is at the forefront of the event, especially with the recent release of the Net Zero strategy plan and the autumn budget, in which the government showcased a clearer understanding on how Britain will fulfil the proposal of a Net Zero by 2050. The release of these documents comes just before COP26 with immense pressure to issue long term resolutions for the current energy crisis facing the UK, caused by a reliance on fossil fuels and a dramatic increase in the gas market price. Nonetheless, the aim of net zero appears to be a short fall in the governments plan, with reports that an infrastructure to support the projection of EV vehicles will not meet the UKs demands, these are the issues that will be raised and hopefully solved at the COP26 conferences.
The main goals of this COP will focus on the nation’s adherence to the Paris agreement, a legally binding treaty by all nations to tackle climate change, as well as operating within the 1.5-degree climate increase before net zero. With the Earth’s temperature rising, any increase over 1.5 degrees could prove immensely devastating and unsolvable, therefore any carbon production in nations before a transition to renewable energy cannot proceed an increase to the Earth’s climate more than 1.5 degrees. Although not every nation appears to be attending COP26, each contributing nation will be challenged on their plan to adhere to the Paris agreement and how together, as one, we can assist each other in a cause that defies borders, the future of this planet.
Reducing your carbon footprint
With Net Zero and COP26 being at the forefront of the news, many people are wondering how they can assist in this transition to a renewable future. If you’re a consumer of domestic energy, it can be incredibly hard to make a significant difference compared to a high energy consuming energy industry, however if a lot of consumers reduced energy usage in the home you can assist saving the Earth and save a few pounds in the process, especially over the winter months. A lot of home energy saving is self-explanatory, yet those in the energy sector suggest reducing the escape of heat in rooms is the best measure to using less energy. Keeping doors closed, blocking any potential draughts at the bottom of doors or in windows, building shelves above radiators to reduce the heat rising and replacing bulbs with LED efficient bulbs are the most cost-effective resolutions. For those looking into a larger impact on the environment, there are now options to invest in a decarbonising heat pump to replace your traditional gas boiler. Although quite expensive, government backed subsidies can assist if you’re interested in installing in a heat pump for your home.
If you are a UK business interested in changing your supplier to renewable energy, get in contact today and we can find you a utility plan for a brighter future.
We will continue reporting on the discourse coming out of COP26 over the next few weeks on our LinkedIn and Twitter pages with daily energy updates.