Chevron Case Studies

Innovating to Net Zero

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In March 2020, Energy Systems Catapult first launched the groundbreaking Innovating to Net Zero programme to understand whether it was possible to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050 and what approaches we needed to take to get there.

The results found that achieving Net Zero was possible if the UK supported innovation and scale-up across three essential areas – Low Carbon Technology, Land Use and Lifestyle.

This would require unprecedented action across the economy in new technologies, new ways of deploying existing technologies, new business models, new consumer offerings, and, crucially, new policy, regulation and market design.

The Net Zero Challenge

In 2018, the International Panel on Climate Change published evidence on what would be required for a 1.5°C limit and the implications of not doing so.

In May 2019, the CCC recommended a Net Zero emissions target by 2050 to the UK Government, which included supporting research such as our Living Carbon Free report on implications for households.

The Solution

In March 2020, Energy Systems Catapult updated its internationally peer-reviewed Energy System Modelling Environment (ESME) to take account of new Net Zero targets. EMSE is the UK’s leading techno-economic whole system model and is independent of sector interests.

ESME is a whole-system optimisation model and finds the least-cost combination of energy resources and technologies that satisfy UK energy service demands along the pathway to 2050. Constraints include net zero greenhouse gas emissions targets, resource availability and technology deployment rates, as well as operational factors that ensure adequate system capacity and flexibility.

Importantly, ESME explores down to regional-level, assessing the infrastructure needed to join up resources, technologies and demands across the UK, such as transmission and distribution of electricity and gas, and pipelines and storage for carbon.

The Innovating to Net Zero report modelled 100s of potential pathways to 2050 – ramping up or down different technologies and behaviour changes – to understand the combinations, interactions and trade-offs of competing decarbonisation approaches.

NOTE: In June 2019, the UK Government amended the Climate Change Act from 80% to 100% emissions reduction – or Net Zero – by 2050. ‘Net’ means balancing any residual carbon emissions with an equal quantity of carbon dioxide removals from the atmosphere.

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Innovating to Net Zero: Launch event at One Great George Street, London on 12th March 2020.

The Outputs

A range of Net Zero insights from whole systems modelling to consumer insight and nuclear power.

Report

Innovating to Net Zero: UK Report

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Report

Nuclear Energy for Net Zero

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Report

Innovating to Net Zero: Digitalisation for Net Zero

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Report

Understanding Net Zero: A Consumer Perspective

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Report

Storage and Flexibility Net Zero Series: Vehicle to Grid

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Report

Storage and Flexibility Net Zero Series: Thermal Energy Storage for Heat Networks

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The Impact

Innovating to Net Zero received considerable media coverage and interest across the energy sector, including:

Whole Systems Modelling

Independent and technology-agnostic whole systems modelling to help design the future energy system to unlock innovation

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