The document outlines the UK's energy strategy towards 2050. It discusses that the strategy will involve a mix of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, tidal, and nuclear to achieve sustainability and affordable energy costs. UK energy costs have risen significantly in recent years, causing payment issues for many. The strategy aims to transition to renewable sources to help control long term costs while reducing the UK's carbon emissions. It analyzes strengths like the early identification of problems, weaknesses like rising costs reducing trust, and opportunities from the UK's geographic resources for renewable energy.

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UK energy strategy going forward towards 2050
Introduction
Energy costs are fast increasing in the United Kingdom. This is a major concern that is
being a significant political issue at present. The UK Government is not only striving to handle
the costs issues but also wants to present a energy strategy that will serve as a complete transition
to a mix of renewable energy sources. Given this context, this report outlines a few key elements
of the UK energy strategy going forward towards 2050. Particular points included are that of the
mixed energy sources that will be present in the UK, the costs issue and a SWOT on some of the
factors affecting the energy sector.
2050- A mix of energy sources
The year 2050 for the United Kingdom will most likely be a mix of energy sources. The
primary reason for the mixed energy policy would be the need for sustainable energy. The UK
economy has recovered from the recession effects of the past years, but businesses are fast
recognizing the need to bring affordability by cost adjustments, that is balanced with that of
decarbonisation (Energy Choices for the UK, 2013). The necessity to achieve such a balance
forces the United Kingdom to look for many alternative options to fuel. There are many
alterative options to the usage of fossil fuels and it becomes necessary for the Government and
society as such to focus on these usages. Furthermore the United Kingdom has to be prepared for

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more sustainable fuel choices and not just short term fixes. Sustainability will be possible only
when choices are more diversified.
In power generation there have been many switches made already from coal to gas
generation and now nuclear power. In addition although challenged by the high installation
charges, solar PV is still a convenient backup in some seasons. Carbon capture and storage
technologies are being analyzed at present and these could become a viable option by 2020. In
addition the offshore wind option might also be a backup measure. Tidal streams are also
considered as one form of clean energy sourcing at present. This is at present is being developed
around 2-3 sites in the United Kingdom (Mearns, 2013). It will be starting with the Pentland
Firth. Existing hydro dams and lochs will be used in this scheme. With these many options being
explored and a focus on sustainability with respect to energy sources and demands on the energy,
the United Kingdom energy strategy will be a well diversified one in the 2050’s.
UK Energy Costs and the Future
UK energy costs have been increasing since the last three years. It has risen by more than
37 percent since 2010. Where earnings average for a citizen has been increasing by around 4.4
percent, it is seen that the prices that an average citizen pays for electricity and gas has also
increased. The projections for the coming years also indicate that the price would only increase
more. This has caused many defaulters. It was denoted by the Ofgem, the industry regulator that
more than 1.4 million electricity accounts are still closing their arrears. 1.2 million gas accounts
are in arrears and in the context of setting for winter temperatures these are going to be even
higher. The Government is under pressure here as the energy prices is one of the major political
issues being analyzed in the political space. Labour leader Ed Miliband has pledged that he will
freeze prices and will hence stop their increase for the next 29 months that follows the elections.

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However even this freezing of prices would not stop the increase unless alternative options for
fuels are tested and implemented on a large scale.
Source: The Guardian, 2013
Moving forward, energy prices at present are projected to increase by more than 46
percent in 2020 and consumer group surveys indicate that more than 59 percent of the public
might not trust energy companies (The Guardian, 2013). Also 84 percent of the surveyed
population indicated that they were worried about the price increases.

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3. SWOT Factors
Strengths:
The strengths of the UK energy strategy and sector is that they have identified the
problem related to energy concerns and energy costs much earlier and are at present working on
the viability of the various options. It is seen that some options could well be working before
2020 (British Pugwash, 2013).The diversity of options available further more presents backup in
the case of non-viability of an option. This could occur because an energy choice option is either
too expensive to be installed or is too expensive to be sustained in the long run.
Weakness:
The present weakness is seen to be the cost and sustainability issues that are present in
the energy sector. Cost associated with energy is increasing and people are fast losing trust in the
energy sector. This could lead to energy sector becoming more politicized in future and this
might not be a good aspect when research needs will need to be met with public financing as
people would not trust projects or initiatives of the energy sector.
Opportunities:
There are multiple opportunities available because of the geographical location of United
Kingdom. Tidal power, wind power and seasonal solar power can be harnessed (Gov-UK, 2013).
The use of these renewable energy sources is necessary. A 2003 energy white paper advertised
that UK was aiming to decrease its carbon emissions by about 60% before 2050. It expects some
significant progress by the year 2020.
Threats:

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Consumers losing faith in the energy sector is a significant threat. The use of nuclear
power as a main energy source would be yet another threat, but the country is attempting to
convert from use of nuclear energy to mixed energy and hence this threat is also being alleviated.
Comments on Energy Price Increase
The energy price increase would continue till viable and commercially available
environmental friendly alternatives are found. In this context, it can be opined that similar to
initial infrastructural costs that are always high, the search for viable and sustainable energy
would be a costly process. Consumers will be hit by the rising prices, but would in the end
benefit.
The rising energy prices are affecting consumers directly, but they can be better handled
if the public are made aware of what the consequences of continued use of non-renewable energy
sources would mean. Only with a mix of fuels, where most of the power is derived from
renewable energy can there be sustainable energy. This will balance out the increasing energy
costs. In addition to the reduction of energy costs in the long run, it can be said that the costs in
maintaining enviroenmtnal damage by means of using fossil fuels are also reduced by these
initiatives.
Conclusion
The UK Energy sector is plagued by concerns of increasing energy prices and this has led
to consumer dissatisfaction. However UK energy strategy in the long run is focused on ways of
finding sustainable energy that will be productive in bringing down the prices in the long run.
The sustainable energy sources will also be environmental friendly.

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References
British Pugwash. 2013. Pathways to 2050, Available at:
http://www.britishpugwash.org/documents/British%20Pugwash%20Pathways%20to%202050%2
0INNERSREVsmall.pdf, [Accessed on 31 December, 2014]
Energy Choices for the UK, 2013, Available at:
http://www.centrica.com/files/pdf/energy_choices_report.pdf, [Accessed on 31 December, 2014]
Gov-UK. 2013. Exploring how the UK can meet the 2050 emission reduction target using the
web-based 2050 Calculator. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/2050-pathways-analysis,
[Accessed on 31 Dec, 2014]
Mearns, E. 2013. Energy Matters’ 2050 pathway for the UK, Available at:
http://euanmearns.com/energy-matters-2050-pathway-for-the-uk/, [Accessed on 31 Dec, 2014]
The Guardian. 2013. Energy bills rise by 37% in three years, Available at:
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/nov/16/energy-prices-rise, [Accessed on 31
December, 2014]