Electricity, Past Present and Future

The electricity supply industry in Great Britain has changed dramatically since it was privatised in 1990.  Initially the changes were driven by the privatisation, but more recently the changes have been driven by the government’s aim to decarbonise electricity supply and by developments in technology.  The changes in the recent past have been extremely rapid, and this rapid change will certainly continue.  There are a lot of potentially unsolved problems, and the future is uncertain.

Our presenter, Dr David Ward, has worked his entire professional career in the GB electrical power industry, and has also consulted internationally.  He will talk us through the history of the electricity system and its current structure, and describe the many and rapid changes in the industry that are not apparent to the general public. He will speculate on what lies ahead, and will explain some of difficulties that must be overcome in the future evolution of the system.