Only central government commitment to renewable energy adoption will prevent a UK-wide energy crisis, a top managements consultant has said.
David Hughes, utilities practice director at ABeam Consulting, said the skyrocketing price of oil means it is ‘not feasible’ to rely on fossil fuels in the long term.
{pagebreak}
“Global warming makes matters worse, pushing the Government to do whatever it can to reduce our carbon footprint,” he said. “Educating consumers about their own usage patterns and the costs of using energy at peak times will be part of the solution. Some energy suppliers are already trying to educate the public about the need to ‘go green’. Campaigns that get people to turn off and turn down will eventually help to reduce overall usage levels.
“As the first step towards reducing our dependency on fossil fuels, the Government must put in place a detailed strategic framework for renewable energy provision.
Yet, the lack of an appropriate access infrastructure represents a major barrier for wide-spread renewable energy adoption. The current state of the access network should be carefully examined to determine how it should be amended to allow the Government to optimise the use of renewable energy.
“The Government recently called for the creation of more wind farms to help meet renewable energy targets. It is a step in the right direction but comes with its own challenges, such as the lack of appropriate locations. Regardless, it is important that the Government does not bury its head in the sand but starts taking action.
“After all the facts have been assessed, it needs to be the Government’s top priority to create a comprehensive, cohesive renewable energy strategy that outlines how much energy we need, and the resources we should use to meet those requirements.
“The creation of this roadmap is critical to safeguard a more sustainable future for all.”
