Lancashire and Cumbria

When the lights go out: Power to the people?

Professor Maxwell Irvine, University of Manchester
6.30 pm. 18 October, 2005
Daresbury Laboratory

Professor Irvine has been invited to chair a committee of enquiry into energy policy and he will give a presentation which will be followed by a panel-led discussion chaired by Professor Paul Nolan of University of Liverpool.

The demand for energy is growing strongly. Between 1950 and 2000 it quadrupled; the most conservative estimates suggest that it will double between 2000 and 2050. Globally 80% of our energy is provided by burning fossil fuels. There are concerns about the sustainability of these fuels and the environmental impact of their continued use.

The government white paper 'Our Energy Future' has been seriously criticised by the all party select committees of both the House of Lords and the House of Commons. There are concerns that the current proposals for alternative energy sources are unrealistic both in their capacity to deliver and the cost of the Renewables Obligation levy. Nuclear power currently provides about 20% of UK generating capacity but current plans would see no nuclear provision post 2030. Fusion power will not be commercially available much before 2050. Large scale generating capacity takes several years to plan and construct. How can we prevent a descent into a dark age? This will be the first joint meeting between the Merseyside and Manchester Branches of the Institute of Physics as well as both the Cheshire and Manchester Branches of the Institute of Electrical Engineers.

All who attend the meeting are welcome to a buffet after the discussion.

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