But even though coal plants themselves are the largest single source of carbon, they can also act as flexible generators, complementing renewables in support of delivering reliable, affordable, and resilient electricity grids.
He is committed to the betterment of lives through individual and collective endeavours.. As well as his business and pharmaceutical experience, Dyson is Professor of Human Enterprise at the University of Birmingham, focussing on project management, business strategy and collaboration.. Additionally, he is a qualified counsellor with a private practice and looks to bring the understanding of human behaviour into business and projects.. To learn more about our Design to Value philosophy, read Design to Value: The architecture of holistic design and creative technology by Professor John Dyson, Mark Bryden, Jaimie Johnston MBE and Martin Wood.Available to purchase at.Martin and Adrian examine the societal and economic complexities involved, advocating for clear policy frameworks and collaborative efforts to stimulate investment and accelerate progress in these hard-to-reach areas, which are vital for the UK's net zero ambitions.. Click the 'play button' above to watch the episode, or read our 5 Key Takeaways from this episode below.... 1.
Focus on hard to abate Sectors is Critical:.While significant progress has been made in general decarbonisation, achieving net zero hinges on addressing the most hard to abate sectors like iron, steel, cement, chemicals, and heavy transport (e.g., aviation), where electrification is not a straightforward solution.. 2.Beyond Electrification:.
Diverse Technological Pathways Required: Decarbonising these sectors demands a range of innovative technologies beyond simple electrification, such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) for aviation or carbon capture solutions for cement production, often requiring significant energy inputs.. 3.Need for Integrated Systemic Solutions:.
Investment tends to focus on individual technologies, but the podcast stresses the importance of understanding the ‘network value’ and integration of these solutions within a broader, complex industrial system, rather than viewing them in isolation.. 4.
Governmental Intervention is Essential to Drive Change:.Creating clean energy hubs in communities across the world.
Gogan believes it would be unforgivably unrealistic to think we could simply abandon the existing coal power plant infrastructure.These plants are the source of reliable electricity for citizens that need it across the world, and maintaining that energy is incredibly important for economic growth in places like Asia, China, India and Africa, as well as being vital for resilience against the climate impacts these areas are already facing..
Furthermore, in countries with old coal, including the US, Canada and Europe, entire communities are economically reliant on the coal plants.Shutting them down would cause substantial unemployment and hardship.