Chart of the week | ES Catapult: shifting energy vectors in net zero

In this week’s Chart of the week, we pick out a chart from ES Catapult which, in its report Innovating to Net Zero published earlier this month, presented two distinct pathways to a 2050 net energy system: centralised (Clockwork) and decentralised (Patchwork).

In a Patchwork pathway, central government takes less of a leading role, resulting in a patchwork of regional low carbon strategies. In a Clockwork pathway, coordination from central government drives long-term investment in strategic energy infrastructure.

Our Chart this week shows the final energy consumption for 80% and total net zero targets from 2020-50 under the Clockwork pathway. The three principal energy vectors of petroleum, gas and electricity are prominent in all years to 2050 in a “Clockwork 80%” scenario.

This month, we launch our first Energy: Net zero publication – the new name for the revamped Energy:2030. This publication, with a renewed focus on answering the net zero question, is a sister publication to Energy Spectrum and issues at the end of each month.
Neil Mearns

Neil Mearns

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