SMF | A Lighter Footprint

Kindly sponsored by EDF Energy

A Lighter Footprint

A Lighter Footprint: Delivering low carbon energy for the future

Date: Tuesday 30th September, 18.00 - 19.00

Location: Room 108, First Floor, Jury's Inn

Speakers: Lord Taylor of Holbeach Benet Northcote, Greenpeace Prof Jim Skea, Research Director, UK Energy Research Centre Denis Linford, Director for Regulation, EDF

Chair: Jess Prendergrast SMF

The UK faces a huge challenge to ensure it has secure and affordable supplies of energy from sources which tackle climate change. Within ten years, if nothing is done, there will not be enough power stations or other ways of generating electricity left to meet the country's demands.

A number of coal- and oil-fired power stations will not meet new emission controls and will close. In addition, many of the UK's existing nuclear power stations will close between now and 2016 simply as they reach the end of their lives.

We must act to address this generation gap in a way that also contributes to tackling climate change. Meeting future demands for energy now raise a number of key questions:

Should we be looking for new, cleaner sources of generation, or should we be focusing on energy efficiency?
Which low carbon sources of energy should be prioritised as far as investment is concerned?
Many experts have argued that microgeneration is the most feasible way of providing energy needs in the future. How can the big fuel companies – who traditionally rely on centralised production models – adapt to these suggestions?
What role, if any, should government regulation play in encouraging the transition to low carbon energy generation?