Innovation and skills critical for keeping net zero ambitions on track

Key to the UK's success in reaching its decarbonisation targets will be fostering innovation, developing the skills needed to deliver on these ambitions, and collaboration across the energy sector, writes Emma Ford, head of gas construction at National Grid.

The world is at a critical moment for climate change and it’s crucial we continue to make strides.

In the UK, there’s been great progress with a transition to renewables well underway, alongside developments in electric vehicles, hydrogen, and carbon capture & storage. This is coupled with new net zero commitments and COP26 focusing minds and actions. With net zero wrapped into the economic recovery, 2021 presents a unique opportunity to increase progress.

There’s been a notable shift in the right direction over the last five years. Electricity produced by wind in the UK increased by almost 100 per cent between 2015-19, and 2020 was the greenest year on record for Great Britain’s electricity system. From a policy perspective, we have more meaningful roadmaps and greater political support, with industry and government coming together to secure a net zero future.

However, there is a long way to go and a huge amount of work to achieve the level of change needed.
For example, at National Grid we’ve set a target to reduce our direct (Scope 1 & 2) greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. To date, we’ve reduced these by 70 per cent since 1990. We’re also focused on cutting our indirect (Scope 3) emissions – we’ve significantly reduced the carbon intensity of our construction activities and set a goal for our UK construction project emissions to be carbon-neutral in 2026.

Key to success in the UK will be fostering innovation, developing the skills needed to deliver on these ambitions, and collaboration across the energy sector.

There are several innovation achievements driving progress on decarbonisation. For example, converting a decommissioned substation at Deeside into a test and evaluation hub, the first of its kind in Europe, will be a significant step; it will allow us and our peers to trial new projects in a risk-free environment, and accelerate the testing and rollout of net zero technologies.

However, we need the right people to bring these cutting-edge ideas to life. National Grid research shows the UK needs 400,000 green jobs by 2050 to deliver net zero, highlighting a significant talent deficit that risks slowing progress of innovative projects. Industry and government must collaborate to plug the skills gap, aligning this to the pandemic recovery.

There’s real ambition to make 2021 a year to remember for the net zero journey through concrete actions that will have a long-lasting impact. However, this won’t be possible without sufficient talent and the necessary innovation. Getting this right must be a priority.