Patrick Gardiner, SVP Customer Success at POWWR, argues that the UK’s path to net zero will hinge on a broader mix of technologies – from wind and solar to flexible power, smarter consumption, and the grid reforms needed to handle AI-era demand.
It is good to see that considerable progress towards net zero continues to be made in the UK. There has been increased adoption of low-carbon technologies, the electrification of transport and heating, and greater use of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Coupled with this, enhanced corporate responsibility and transparency have been seen across businesses in nearly every industry.
Driven by both regulatory requirements and market demands, the energy industry has continued to transition the grid away from fossil fuels and towards more sustainable energy practices. Unsurprisingly, some of this change has been driven by economics as much as the desire to be green. Renewable energy production is getting cheaper all the time. So much so that research shows the average cost of generating a megawatt hour (MWh) of wind-borne energy is $27, and solar is $29. This compares favourably with the $108 it costs with gas.
Due to all of this, the percentage of energy coming from renewable sources continues to rise. Over the past year, approximately 40% of the UK’s energy has been considered ‘green’. This 40% is made up of a number of sources. However, the largest, by far, is wind farms.
Super-powered data centres
The need to accelerate the move towards renewables has come, in part, from the additional electricity consumption requirements of a new breed of super-powered data centres needed to run complex artificial intelligence (AI) calculations. Such data centres are seen as the lynchpins of modern business infrastructure, supporting critical operations across multiple industries. However, they have sky-high energy demands, and the energy industry is being forced to adapt quickly.
It is not a problem that is going to go away either. In 2024, data centres consumed around 415 terawatt hours (TWh) of energy globally. However, this is expected to reach 945 TWh by 2030. To put this into perspective, that is around the amount of energy used by Japan – a country of 125 million people.
Going nuclear
In an effort to provide grid stability at a time of increased demand, the Government recently announced its intention to build multiple new nuclear power stations in the UK during President Donald Trump’s recent state visit.
This came hot on the heels of a similar announcement back in July, when the Government confirmed that the biggest clean energy investment in a generation had been secured for Sizewell C from EDF, Centrica, La Caisse, and Amber Infrastructure Limited. Once completed, it is hoped that Sizewell C will provide decades of clean, reliable electricity for around six million homes and businesses.
The renewed interest in nuclear goes somewhat against the recent tide, though. After all, nuclear power generation has fallen from 7.5 GW to 3.9 GW over the past decade. But together with wind and solar, nuclear power will be instrumental in securing a greener energy system that can protect households and businesses from rising gas prices in the future. Not least because, unlike solar and wind, nuclear energy is not weather-dependent.
Market dynamics
Of course, while a growing percentage of the UK’s energy comes from renewables, around 30% still comes from traditional fossil fuels. There is a strong national security argument for ensuring that this percentage continues to reduce. After all, the more the UK relies upon fossil fuels, the more exposed it becomes to volatile global market dynamics. Because oil and gas are traded on international markets, their prices can swing sharply in response to geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions, and fluctuations in global demand.
Heavy dependence on imported fuels can also heighten strategic vulnerability, as the UK must compete with other nations for supply during periods of scarcity. Scaling up domestic renewable energy reduces exposure to these external factors, helping to stabilise prices, strengthen energy security, and support resilient economic growth.
The need for flexible power sources
A multifaceted approach to net zero will be required in 2026 – not only to support sustainability goals, but also to ensure enhanced stability of energy supply. Wind and solar will continue to play their part, but we also need to look towards more flexible power sources to supplement the energy supply – especially those, such as nuclear, that can be turned on and off as required.
Work still needs to be done. Unfortunately, electricity use in the UK is far more inefficient than it should be, which has exacerbated the problem. A significant percentage of users have still not made the switch to smart meters. This makes it difficult for the energy industry to effectively balance grid load, as they simply do not know exactly when people need energy the most.
Thankfully, times are changing. The increased data available through initiatives such as MHHS should lead to greater intelligence and a reduction in wasted energy.
