UK Government has outlined ambitious plans to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030. Image @freepik

Going electric

The big objective

In the UK today renewables produce around 43% of our electricity, but only 8% of our total energy use, while the majority is provided by fossil fuels. To reach net zero we need to achieve total electrification by 2050. That means no burning of fossil fuels, biofuels or any fuels that emit CO2.

UK inland energy consumption in 2022

(Primary electricity includes nuclear, wind, solar, hydro and net imports)  Source:  UK Energy In Brief 2023, UK Government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Why efficiency is so important

Building enough renewables to meet all our energy needs of today will be expensive. It’s more cost effective to save energy first, by increasing the efficiency of our systems. A good place to start is to ensure all appliances and lighting in our homes are as efficient as possible. Easy first steps are:

  1. Fit led light bulbs throughout your house (these typically use 1/10 of the energy of incandescent lights, and 1/3 of the energy of fluorescent light bulbs).
  2. Switch to A+++ rated appliances.
  3. Use smaller appliances where possible – a small fridge, small cooker, small electric car, laptop or TV is almost always more efficient than a large one.

Choosing a renewable tariff

To reduce CO2 emissions quickly the biggest thing you can do is switch to a renewable energy tariff. However, since renewables are already included in the published CO2 emissions for UK energy, a basic renewable tariff makes no difference. Ofgem say that only companies who provide an “outstanding contribution to increasing renewables” are genuinely low carbon. These include: Bristol Energy (for Bristol and SW England), Ecotricity, Good Energy, Green Energy UK and Octopus Energy (this list is based on freely available data and may not be exhaustive).

Night time use  

Nuclear power stations give a continual baseload of power which means the national grid has an excess of available energy at night. Any way of making use of this, such as running your washing machine, dishwasher, storage heaters or electric car charger at night currently has almost zero emissions. (And if you have a night tariff it can also be cheaper too.)

Home batteries

Because fossil fuel power stations can vary their output at short notice they are used to meet peak time demands. A home battery system reduces this need, and can typically power a house for 24-48 hours, meaning you can charge it up at night and avoid peak-time electricity rates. With a smart charger, an electric car can double as a home battery, charging up at night and providing electricity for peak time needs. Batteries will be an important part of the low carbon future.

Solar panels  

Installing solar panels is both environmentally-friendly and financially rewarding. In suitable locations in the UK the return on investment is over 10% per year. Always install the biggest solar array you can, as this will contribute to charging your home battery and future electrical heat sources, as well as enabling you to to export to the grid.

Heat pumps  

To achieve net zero by 2050, most UK homes will be heated by air or ground source heat pumps. Heat pumps don’t actually generate heat, they just move it from one place to another. This makes them up to four times more efficient than other electrical heaters. That literally means that for 1kWh of electricity, you get up to 4kWh of heat! They only work efficiently in homes that are reasonably well insulated, so remember that insulation comes first.

Five top takeaways  

  1. Switching to an ‘outstanding’ renewable tariff is the single most effective thing you can do.
  2. Using efficient appliances and lightbulbs is essential to reduce our electricity use.
  3. Home battery systems or electric car batteries used to meet peak time energy demands and store solar energy will play a key role in decarbonising the grid.
  4. The running cost of a heat pump can be four times lower than other electrical heaters, in a well insulated house.
  5. Increasing efficiency, balancing demand and solar generation all reduce your fuel bills, so low carbon electricity is good for your pocket too.

By Mukti Mitchell & the Carbon Savvy team