Energy Law @ Lansdown Chambers specialises in renewable energy, from the development of new projects, the funding and sale of new and existing projects to one-off 'technical' questions about law and regulation.

The 2050 Zero-Carbon Target

We have a 2050 zero-carbon target - and we are about to have a 2035 zero-carbon target for electricity. Both targets demand much more renewable power, in particular, much more solar and much more wind. They also demand flexibility in how we generate and transport power and when and how we use it.

We are in the midst of an energy revolution. Change is being driven by the need to meet the carbon targets. And it is being enabled by innovations in electronics which allow central systems to 'talk' to products and manage them:  

• Batteries will become commonplace and, just as with white goods like freezers, will be turned on and off over electronic networks by network operators when they need more or less power.

• Already everyone (every business, every individual, every generation plant) can sell unused power. Their opportunities to benefit from doing so will start to diversify from next year.

Much of this is about flexibility, through flexibility platforms and flexibility devices. This will bring about virtual local networks, peer-to-peer sales and keep down the need for new generation plant and costs.

The future is here and it will increasingly affect all decisions taken by project developers and investors and by owners of existing power projects.