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Industrial strategy fit for the future: perspectives on building a competitive UK economy

This publication brings together the views of respected thinkers from politics, business, trade unions and academia on the kind of economy the industrial strategy should be building and the role low carbon and resource efficiency can play.

Shalit (pictured) turned pages of data into one poster and then an online database. Image: ClimateView

Swedish lessons: Can data management enable the UK to deliver a net-zero economy?

The UK's net-zero climate target has been widely welcomed, but is currently lacking some actual points of delivery. Fortunately, Sweden's own net-zero target can teach politicians some interesting lessons, including how big data and digitisation can mobilise action plans.

Pictured: EDF's Hinkley Point C nuclear power station

Clark: UK may need 40GW of new baseload generation by 2050

Whether from nuclear plants or power stations equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS), the UK will need up to 40GW of new low-carbon baseload generation to meet the net-zero emissions target, Greg Clark has warned.

These stories exemplify how businesses and governments across the world are ramping up efforts in all areas of sustainable development

Coors' plastic-free packaging and solar-powered trains: The sustainability success stories of the week

As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.

Nuclear generation is estimated to account for 10% of the global energy mix

IEA: Developed nations should support nuclear to reach climate goals

Governments across North America, Europe and Asia are phasing out nuclear at a faster pace than they are increasing their respective renewable energy capacities, and therefore running the risk of reversing the low-carbon power transition.

The UK government has pledged to phase out all unabated coal generation by 2025

Britain notches up another coal-free record over Easter

Great Britain's power grid notched up another coal-free record over the Easter weekend, operating for nearly 92 consecutive hours without any domestic coal generation.

Common rules on taxing carbon produced by energy date back to 2003

European Commission teases carbon tax and nuclear treaty overhaul

The European Commission has made the case for scrapping national vetoes on environmental tax changes and for finally updating the bloc's venerable nuclear treaty, last amended in 1957.

In 2018, ESO provided key services that enabled numerous firsts for the UK electricity system

National Grid 'ready to handle' zero-carbon network by 2025

The operating firm for National Grid has claimed that Great Britain's electricity system can operate as a zero-carbon grid by 2025.

Sizewell nuclear power station located in Suffolk

Nuclear strategy in 'meltdown' after Wylfa suspension

The government's nuclear strategy is in "meltdown" following Hitachi's announcement that it is halting work on its plans for a new UK atomic power plant in north Wales, Alan Whitehead has said.

Fossil fuel output fell almost 7% to 131TWh

Renewables forecast to overtake fossil fuels in 2020

Renewables will overtake fossil fuels in 2020 to become the "dominant" source of power in Great Britain, EnAppsSys has predicted in a new report.

The business mogul and philanthropist said he would be more vocal in lobbying for US-based nuclear research this year. Image: the World Economic Forum

Bill Gates: Nuclear power 'ideal' for tackling climate challenges

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has argued that nuclear power is an ideal technology to decarbonise the global energy system, as it is less prone to volatility and variable outputs compared to renewables.

Generation fell almost every year between 2008 and 2014 - Power plant - Cheshire

UK power stations' electricity output lowest since 1994

The output of British power stations fell this year to levels last seen almost a quarter of a century ago, while renewables achieved a record share of the UK electricity supply.

In total, 57% of electricity generation was low carbon over the period, produced either by renewables or nuclear power stations

UK renewable energy capacity surpasses fossil fuels for first time

The capacity of renewable energy has overtaken that of fossil fuels in the UK for the first time, in a milestone that experts said would have been unthinkable a few years ago.

Sustainability experts from an array of businesses came together to discuss the potential methods to engage with the Global Goals

The SDG roundtable: Getting engaged with the Global Goals - Part One

Sustainability and corporate responsibility managers from a range of businesses recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and DNV GL to discuss how the private sector is stepping up efforts to drive engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Fifty years of nuclear power in the UK has generated 750,000 cubic metres of waste but the nation has still not developed a permanent disposal solution

Allow nuclear waste disposal under national parks, say MPs

Highly radioactive nuclear waste could be permanently buried under national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs), under government plans backed by a committee of MPs.

The larger tidal lagoons which TLP plans to build after Swansea would cost about the same as new build nuclear plants using the same methodology, TLP’s audit concludes

Government 'distorted figures', says Tidal Lagoon Power

The developer behind plans to build a £1.3bn tidal lagoon plant in Swansea Bay has accused the government of distorting figures used to justify its decision not to back the scheme.

Renewables were a “golden opportunity” to make the UK greener and make energy affordable, the NIC said

Cool down nuclear plan because renewables are better bet, says NIC

Government advisers have told ministers to back only a single new nuclear power station after Hinkley Point C in the next few years, because renewable energy sources could prove a safer investment.

This increased output meant that renewables’ share of total electricity generation increased to a record quarterly high of 30.1%

Renewables hit record generation share high in UK

Renewable energy's share of electricity generation hit a new record high in the first quarter of this year despite increased demand caused by the "Beast from the East" cold snap, according to new government figures.

To provide the same level of generation through offshore wind would cost ‘at least’ £31.5bn less to build

Government says no to Swansea tidal lagoon

The government will not back plans for Swansea's pioneering tidal lagoon power plant based on figures showing that nuclear and offshore wind can generate the same amount of electricity at a third of the cost.

Mission Possible: Taking bold action to achieve a sustainable future

The mission, should we choose to accept it: achieving a low- carbon, resource-efficient industrial revolution. As we gear up for edie Live 2018 this webinar will hear from the leading businesses and experts that are scaling-up effort and innovation across all areas of sustainable development to make this Mission Possible.

WEBINAR: How to uncover savings and improve your operational performance through energy insight

Our expert panel will discuss how to use advanced energy insights to help you to uncover savings and improve your operational performance.

Wind and solar generated 18.33 terawatt hours (TWh), with nuclear on 16.69TWh, the figures published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show

Wind and solar make more electricity than nuclear for first time in UK

Windfarms and solar panels produced more electricity than the UK's eight nuclear power stations for the first time at the end of last year, official figures show.

Energy innovation: Delivering the smart grid of the future, today

The mission is clear: we must accelerate the shift to zero-carbon energy systems in order to slash emissions and mitigate global warming. But this mission IS possible: renewable energy costs are tumbling and new approaches to energy management such as battery storage and demand response are offering new ways for organisations to operate more sustainably.

Experts estimate that excessive amounts of nitrogen oxides or NOx in the air kill between 6,000 and 13,000 people in Germany every year

German court rules cities can ban diesel cars to tackle pollution

Millions of heavily polluting vehicles could eventually disappear from roads across Germany after its top administrative court ruled that cities have the right to ban diesel motors in an effort to improve deadly air quality levels.

edie Explains: ESOS Phase 2

This edie Explains guide, produced in association with Schneider Electric, will help organisations in their preparations to comply with the second phase of the UK Government's Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS).

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) insists that new policies will be required to close the remaining “emissions gap”

Clean Growth Strategy 'not enough' to meet UK's carbon targets, climate advisers warn

Urgent action is needed to flesh out current plans in the Clean Growth Strategy in order to meet the UK's fourth and fifth carbon budgets, the Government's climate change watchdog has cautioned.

MPs said they are looking for “far greater clarity on energy and climate change policy to ensure that industry can plan for the future

Ministers offer 'scant detail' on post-Brexit green policy, MPs warn

The Government has faced criticism for providing "scant detail" on areas relating to post-Brexit energy and climate change policy, such as the UK's role in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).

How business can help halt the rise in global emissions

There's been a lot of media coverage over the past week about rising levels of CO2 and the likely impacts, despite international efforts to cut greenhouse gases.

Raising the bar on sustainability: Not just “the what” you do, but “how” you do it

Sustainable business is on the rise. More and more organisations are realising that they can do well by being good to people and planet. The most recent report on sustainability performance of listed companies, from Carbon Clear, states that the transition towards more sustainable business is happening more because of carrots (demand) rather than sticks (regulation).

Electric Vehicles??

With all the hype over recent announcements about Electric Vehicles I wonder if we are maybe missing something important

The Hinkley site has taken its first delivery of rock armour for the base of sea wall, which will be 780 metres long to protect against flooding

Hinkley C: Labour warns of 'potential timebomb' of quitting Euratom

The government's decision to quit Euratom has put a "potential timebomb" under plans to build the Hinkley C nuclear power plant, Labour's energy spokesman has warned.

Price tag for Hinkley Point C swells by £1.5bn

Less than a year after getting the final go-ahead, Hinkley Point C is already on course to breach its budget by £1.5 billion, EDF has admitted.

What the report clearly stresses is the need for a transitional arrangement to smooth the path to Brexit

Report maps UK's 'uncertain' energy landscape post-Brexit

As Britain looks set to leave the EU's Single Market, business consultants have attempted to map out the numerous challenges facing the energy sector after Brexit, making the case for a transition phase to smooth the exit path.

Building support for bioenergy in the new political climate

This year, Clearfleau is building on-site bio-energy plants for dairy, food and distillery businesses and will be doing more of these in 2018, with many new plants being built in Scotland.

Hinkley Point C is among the projects expected to be negatively affected by UK’s planned withdrawal from the Euratom treaty

UK on track to miss carbon emissions target due to stalled energy policy

The UK's ambitious target of slashing carbon emissions by more than half within 13 years is at risk because of government dithering on energy policy, industry professionals have warned.

Wind energy output peaked at 9.5GW on Wednesday 7 June

Windy weather brings new renewable energy record

Windy weather brought with it a new renewable record on Wednesday lunchtime as output from wind, solar, biomass and hydro peaked at 19.3GW - more than half of all demand.

Many businesses already utilising fleet management and telematics technology have reported fuel savings of as much as two gallons per vehicle per day

Driving change: How can businesses increase efficiency for a greener fleet?

Whether it's the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs), the use of telematics, or the strategic positioning of distribution centres, there is now a multitude of options available to businesses looking to reduce fleet emissions. But which is the best route to take? edie's George Ogleby investigates.

Autonomous systems for environmental monitoring

Autonomous systems are a key priority in governmental agendas. In 2013, David Willetts included them as one of the Eight Great Technologies that will propel the UK to future growth. In 2017, the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund was created that prioritised "robotics systems...that can be deployed in extreme environments."

Making hay while the sun isn't shining

"Make hay while the sun shines", as the saying goes. But what happens when the sun shineth not? That is the £64m question.

Smart Growth: bringing together business and society to tackle climate change

Last week I was honoured to be a key note speaker at Business in the Community (BITC) Smart Growth Summit supported by EDF Energy during Responsible Business Week, marking the 10th anniversary of the Prince of Wales' call for businesses to address climate change.

edie explains: ISO 20400

This edie explains business guide, produced in association with edie's supporting partners Action Sustainability and BSI, provides an in- depth summary of the new ISO 20400 Standard which is the world's first international standard for sustainable procurement

Keeping a weather eye: 5 key developments for renewables

Reading the popular media or governmental press releases alone might lead us to despair at the prospects for renewables - something that's flavour of the month today can be an environmental pariah the next. So, what is really happening? Should we be battening down the hatches or making hay?

For 2016, renewables supplied more than half of the global electricity demand growth, mainly through hydro technology, which accounted for half of this share

Emissions flat for third year running as economy boom continues

The decoupling trend between economic activity and emissions continued for a third straight year, after the International Energy Agency (IEA) revealed that global energy-related carbon emissions remained flat in 2016.

Of the 17 hottest years ever recorded, 16 have now occurred since 2000, and scientists expect this pattern to continue

Sustainability megatrends: It's time for business to collaborate on climate change

Continuing edie's new megatrends series of thought-leadership articles on the global impact of megatrends, World Resources Institute's Eliot Metzger and Moushumi Chaudhury explore how businesses are dealing with the widespread effects of climate change.

Carbon Trust: SCIENCE-BASED TARGETS

Setting the bar high enough: The case for science-based targets on climate change.

The thinktank’s analysis found that high carbon infrastructure, which it defines as fossil fuel power stations, airports and road building, was faring little better

Renewables investment in UK will fall 95% over next three years - study

Investment in windfarms will fall off a "cliff edge" over the next three years and put the UK's greenhouse gas reduction targets at risk, according to a new analysis.

BNEF chairman Michael Liebreich felt that the private sector should set and provide “volume signals” to indicate that it was committed to renewable deployment and improve investor confidence

Michael Liebreich: Policy alignment needed to make Britain a low-carbon leader

The UK can "truly be a leader" in the global low-carbon economy, but only if a policy alignment is introduced that allows considerations of the energy mix to also shape trade, tax and research and development (R&D) legislation, the chairman of Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) has said.

Will new Chancellor Philip Hammond dedicate any part of his first Autumn Statement to the green economy? Stay tuned to edie on Wednesday. Image EU2017EE Flickr

Autumn Statement 2016: 10 green policy hopes for Philip Hammond's first budget announcement

From unveiling a low-carbon Industrial Strategy and confirming post-Brexit support for renewables through to enabling a smart, flexible energy system and providing more expenditure to prevent flooding - will new Chancellor Philip Hammond deliver on our green policy wishlist in his first Autumn Statement?

During Q3 2016, coal accounted for just 3% of the UK's electricity

Low-carbon sources claim majority share in UK energy mix

For the first time, more than half of the UK's electricity was generated from low-carbon sources in the third quarter of 2016, a stark contrast from five years ago when the figure stood at little over 25%.

The tracker revealed a record high of 71% of people supporting onshore wind, up from the previous high of 70% in 2014

Public support for renewables rises as nuclear and fracking falls

Public backing for nuclear energy and fracking has fallen in recent months while support for clean energy continues to surge, according to the latest opinion tracker from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

John Lewis's Birmingham branch is designed to be the company's most efficient full-line department store, utilising LEDs, heat pumps and combined cooling, heating and power

10 top tips to deliver a sustainable built environment

Continuing edie's 'green buildings month' of editorial content, John Lewis's sustainable development manager Phil Birch offers up 10 tips to successfully accelerate sustainable development within the built environment, despite an ongoing period of "political uncertainty".

An artist's impression of Hinkley Point C, which was approved by the UK Government last week

Energy policy cannot be dependent on any single project, says UK climate watchdog

Energy policy is about more than just Hinkley and "cannot be dependent on any single project", the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has warned.

Davey told Newsnight the most pressing concern with Hinkley is that it could be unbuildable

Ed Davey: Irresponsible Tories betting the nation on gas and nuclear

Former Energy Secretary Ed Davey has accused the current Government of playing "fast and loose" with the UK's long-term energy security by prioritising gas and nuclear investment over support for low-carbon and renewable energy sources.

The controversial scheme in Somerset has been approved by Theresa May more than a decade after Tony Blair gave his backing for the development of new nuclear

From Blair to May: A complete timeline of Hinkley Point's approval

As Prime Minister Theresa May finally gives the green light for Hinkley Point, edie takes a look back at the various twists and turns of the controversial nuclear energy project which has taken more than a decade to gain Government approval.

The controversial £18bn scheme in Somerset, which has been criticised over costs and national security worries, will proceed after a new agreement was struck with EDF

Hinkley Point: Green economy reacts as Government approves nuclear power deal

The Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset has today (15 September) been given the go-ahead by UK Prime Minister Theresa May, ending months of speculation and dividing opinion among Britain's industry groups and environmentalists.

Where's all the wind?

The irony of too much wind equals no wind power

Unnerved by GMB’s claims, Flexitricity are looking to introduce DR into the domestic sector, saying there is “untapped potential”

Demand response 'vital' even if Hinkley gets green light, says Flexitricity

Demand response will form a "vital part of a secure, affordable and sustainable energy future" and shouldn't necessarily be viewed as a competitive alternative to the delayed Hinkley Point C nuclear project.

The union added that National Grid’s policy of paying companies to stop working using consumer’s money is a “bonkers policy that only a natural monopoly would dare to implement”

DSR is 'fanciful nonsense', says union

GMB has slammed National Grid as being "naively complacent" over its intention to use demand-side response (DSR) to avoid blackouts, and has called for the company to be stripped of its system operator role.

The new epoch would be defined by nuclear bomb tests, plastic pollution, power plant soot and the bones of domesticated chickens among other factors

The Anthropocene epoch: scientists declare dawn of human-influenced age

Humanity's impact on the Earth is now so profound that a new geological epoch - the Anthropocene - needs to be declared, according to an official expert group who presented the recommendation to the International Geological Congress in Cape Town on Monday.

EDF’s new nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C, got the go-ahead from the supplier at the end of July but the Government then delayed its confirmation

'State of flux': Hinkley alternatives would be cheaper and simpler, ECIU finds

The UK could meet its future energy and climate change targets without constructing the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, and the continued development of renewables and energy efficiency measures would in fact work out cheaper, a major new report has found.