IES - The Marlow Lecture - Achieving Net Zero by 2050: Taking an Engineering ‘Whole Energy Systems’ Approach to Delivery

The talk will cover the required actions to tackle climate change and create critical national infrastructure that realises a new 21st century, low-carbon energy system. It will also present a review of several renewable and low-carbon energy technologies that offer the route to decarbonising our power and energy system. The current UK policy position and commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 and a decarbonised electricity system by 2030 will be discussed as will the need for a national plan and a delivery-led focus to ensure actions and investments that follow policy commitments. The necessity for an engineering based “whole systems” approach will be covered that requires an integrated strategy on engineering & technology, policy, economics, regulation and societal engagement. All of this will be underpinned by case studies and details of several major energy projects that are now in place and underway in the UK.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald is Emeritus Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde having been Principal for over 16 years between 2009-2025. He holds the Rolls-Royce Chair in Electrical Systems. He was President of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2019-2024. On 1st January 2025 he was appointed as the new Chair of Scottish Enterprise and he became Vice Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering.He currently holds several senior non-executive business appointments with organisations including Scottish Power plc, the UK National Physical Laboratory and Supernode Ltd. He is Chair of the Boards of Scottish Power Renewables and Scottish Power Energy Retail. He has previously served as a non-executive on the Boards of FTSE100 and NASDAQ companies including the Weir Group and AXEDA Systems. In the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours List 2012, Professor McDonald was awarded a Knighthood for Services to Education, Engineering and the Economy.

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