SE Academic Review 2023

ACADEMIC REVIEW 2023 9

there needs to be changes in consumption patterns and investment in renewable energy. This in turn will require governmental direction and policy changes to lead the UK to this goal. I will conclude that it is the political obstacles, rather than the technological challenges, that present the largest barrier to a credible strategy for carbon neutrality by 2050. In answering the question, I have chosen secondary sources that examine the issue from both a physics and political standpoint. The physics angle is covered in Sustainability Energy: Without the Hot Air by David MacKay (2009) but I have had to update many of his 2009 assumptions which are now out of date. Using Chris Goodall’s What We Need to Do Now: For a Zero Carbon Future , along with many newspaper articles has helped me with the question of political feasibility (Goodall, 2020).

This essay will be part of the World Studies option, looking at the research question through two different lenses to build a better understanding of the topic. My methodology will be: • Firstly, to examine the technological viability of carbon neutrality in the UK using principles from the IB Diploma subject ‘Physics’. • Then later, to examine the political barriers to implementation using analytical frameworks taken from the IB ‘Global Politics’ syllabus. I will argue that significant changes to renewable technologies mean that the UK currently has the resources to transition to a 100% renewable energy based society by 2050. However, I will also show that to be able to transition to carbon neutrality, Chapter 1: The Technological Feasibility of Carbon Neutrality MacKay (2009) concluded that a 100% renewable energy grid was impossible in the UK. Based on the technology available he believed that either the cost was too high, or the space was too limited to achieve this goal. Against a total energy requirement of 125 kWh per person per day, MacKay wrote, ‘I fear the maximum Britain would ever get from renewables is in the ballpark of 18 kWh/d per person.’ (MacKay, 2009, p. 109). Since 2009 there have been significant changes both to the UK’s energy consumption and to renewable energy technology. This now makes a 100% domestic, renewable strategy viable. Firstly, we have been helped by a reduction in total UK energy requirements driven by policy changes and the movement of industry outside of the UK. According to the UK’s energy statistics, this has dropped the target energy required from 125kWh/ p/d in 2009 to 79kWh/p/d today (UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 2021). More importantly, achievement of carbon neutrality has been helped by significant changes in solar and wind technology.

SOLAR There are two main ways in which solar energy can be harnessed. The first uses south-facing rooftop panels, the second, solar farms. The table below shows the major changes between the output potential of solar when Mackay was writing his book in 2009, and the situation today.

Figure 1. Rooftop Solar

MACKAY (2009)

ROOFTOP SOLAR

CURRENT

Maximum solar output over 24 hours, including cloud cover and sun intensity

110W/m 2

110W/m 2

PV efficiency

10-20% 20-30%

W/m 2 calculated

5-20W/m 2

20-30W/m 2

South-facing roof area

650m 2

2500m 2

Roof space/person based on population of 65 million Rooftop Solar potential

40m 2

10m

2

5kWh/p/d 25kWh/p/d

(MacKay, 2009, pp. 38-39; Goodall, 2017)