Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are hosting the British Energy Challenge at Victoria Gallery, University of Liverpool on Thursday 18 April.
Chaired by Mark Lynas, climate change author and DECC’s Deputy Director of Strategy and Evidence Group, Dr Thomas Counsell, the event will discuss one of the most urgent issues facing the UK – how we make and use energy efficiently?
The event will set out the major energy challenges faced today, showing how issues such as climate change and energy security link through to the energy experiences people face day-to-day, such as household bills.
DECC’s 2050 Calculator will be used to demonstrate the energy trade-offs we face and the different options for tackling the energy challenge. The 2050 Calculator brings energy data alive, showing the benefits and costs of different versions of the future. It will offer an interactive way for the audience to decide how they would power the country, allowing them to create different energy pathways.
Also speaking is Amanda Lyne, Low Carbon Economy Chair for the City Region and Professor Werner Hofer, from the Stephenson Institute, who will discuss how we are responding locally to the energy challenge in Liverpool.
Mark Basnett, Executive Director of Key Growth Sectors for the LEP said: “Moving to a low carbon economy is one of the most important challenges we face in the UK today and this event provides a unique opportunity for those interested in how we meet this challenge to participate in this important debate and take forward some practical steps to contribute to its solution.”
Professor David Mackay said: “The beauty of the 2050 calculator is that it allows people to better understand the scale of the energy challenges we face, and to make their own decisions about how to power the country in a low carbon and efficient way.
“Decarbonising the energy system is one of the most important challenges facing the UK today – and it can’t be achieved without the support of local communities and businesses. This event is a great way to raise the profile of energy in the public domain.”