Energy use and Generation

A recent report from UKERC The UK energy system in 2050:Comparing Low-Carbon, Resilient Scenarios highlights a few important challenges we all have to face.  These are a selection of the main 'pull out' quotes from the report (my bold)

• ... the sets of technologies to meet the challenge exist, and deploying them is a much lower cost option than the damages from climate change, estimates elsewhere that will ensue if the UK and other countries fail to rise to it.
• .. of the ways in which the Elastic Demand version of MARKEL (the model used) can meet policy objectives (e.g. carbon reduction constraints) is to reduce energy service demands through price elasticities of demand. 
• Hydrogen and electric vehicles dominate the transport mix by 2050, this has resultant impacts on the power sector with vehicles being recharged during time of low demand
• For the targets to be met an economy wide carbon price would need to be gradually imposed, on top of all existing carbpon.enery taxes, reaching about the current level of fuel duty by 2050.
• All buildings, new and existing, will have to be much more energy efficient.

With the ppm of CO2 in our atmosphere tripping over the 400 mark for the first time and China now announcing serious carbon emission reduction targets, we have a two choices:
bury our heads in the sand or take action.