A smarter carbon transition needs an energy evolution – The National

A smarter carbon transition needs an energy evolution – The National

When delegates descended on Glasgow for Cop26 in November, their arrival coincided with one of the worst energy crises in recent decades. As many called for a total end to coal-fired power, the UK itself began firing up old coal-fired power plants for the first time in years amid a region-wide natural gas and renewable energy crunch.

Power companies were caught on the back foot, infrastructure creaked, and natural gas came to the rescue to plug many of the holes, at a decidedly steeper price. Gas, oil and coal prices have risen dramatically, and many people braced for power cuts in Europe even as some factories in China literally went dark.

What can policymakers learn from this man-made crisis? The most important lesson is that the path to the carbon transition is just as important as the destination itself. Move too quickly to cut off traditional sources of power, and the supply shortfalls will have immediate and negative impacts.