Low carbon report to be released next month

June 25th 2010

The government has announced it will officially release its low carbon report next month.

Entitled 2050 Pathways, the document will give details of all proposals which aim to achieve an 80 per cent reduction in the UK's carbon emissions by the middle of the century.

Energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne said the report – which is currently in its final development stages – will be released to coincide with the coalition's first annual statement to the House of Commons on energy policy.

Many companies have been anticipating the government's proposals, as they feel proper incentives need to be provided for investment in long-term green business ventures.

A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change told Business Green that the report will examine a range of ways to achieve the 80 per cent target, such as the electrification of UK infrastructure.

"An 80 per cent target means that realistically we need to electrify large sections of transport and heating," he explained.

"That means that while overall energy demand may fall, demand for electricity could double by 2050. All the big investment challenges we face relate to that change."