Energy professionals express doubts about achieving net zero

A recent survey conducted by the Energy Institute has revealed that only 4% of energy professionals believe the UK is on track to achieve net zero by 2050. This striking statistic comes from the latest Energy Barometer report, an annual survey designed to inform public discourse on energy and assess government policy through expert insights.

This year’s report marks a decade of Barometer findings and provides the first comprehensive analysis from energy professionals since the Labour Party's election victory. Despite early positive signals from the new Government, confidence in the UK meeting its climate targets remains low. Only 15% of respondents believe the 2035 carbon emission reduction goal is attainable, with even less optimism for achieving net zero by mid-century.

While 84% of respondents commend the progress made in decarbonising the grid over the past decade, they warn that achieving the Government’s goal of 100% clean power by 2030 will require overcoming significant obstacles.

Discussing the survey results, Energy Institute President Andy Brown said: 

The costs are going to be very high, and I’m concerned at how that’s going to be seen by the public over time. And as our members said, it becomes politicised after a while. You can see that in the US—it becomes political. And that really concerns me, that the political message could become one of the key limiting factors.”

Read more: Energy sector doesn’t believe we’ll get to net zero