However, according to an energy expert speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, this could be just the beginning. Due to pressures on the national grid, including hot summers, cold winters and the push for green energy, 24/7 electricity could become a thing of the past for Britain. During the July 19 heatwave, parts of east London were brought to the brink of blackout. The lights only stayed on after ESO bought power from Brussels for £9,724.54 per megawatt hour, a 5,000 per cent increase on the average price of £178 – a “ridiculous” price. Dr Samir Dani, an energy expert at Keele University, said the problems for the national grid were just beginning – a serious debate was needed to look at how Britons consume energy. He said: “I think this just shows the things that are coming for us in the future in terms of how energy is produced and delivered in the UK and Europe, and what we rely on in terms of 24/24 7 supply of energy at all times. “Again, we’re thinking about how the future is all electrification. For green living, we’re going for electric vehicles, removing natural gas and central heating and making it more electric heating in the future, etc. I think it’s going to put heavy burden on electricity generation and where that electricity will come from.’ Dr Dani claimed that a “behavioural change in society” may be necessary to meet Britain’s climate targets – questioning whether Britons were ready for a future where energy consumption would be limited. That future may be approaching faster than previously thought as the energy crisis spirals out of control, largely due to the war in Ukraine. Already a gas-starved Europe is calling for a 15% reduction in energy consumption due to the lack of supply there. Dr Dani spoke about turning off the electricity at certain scheduled times during the week, a term known in the industry as load shedding and more commonly as rolling blackouts. He added: “I think that’s where we’re getting at the moment, even with the issue of gas supply in Europe, where they’re asking for a 15 percent reduction, they’re trying to change behavior in terms of getting used to it. “You might not have 24 hours of electricity or you might not have 24 hours of gas while you’re trying to reduce your consumption.” Although Europe faces a dire crisis almost immediately due to its dependence on Russian gas, it is time for Britain to also consider what load shedding means and how it will affect British society, according to Dr Dani. He said: “With it [current] electrification [and] The trend of electric vehicles in the future, I think we really have to think hard about whether we’re going to have 24/7 energy and whether that’s going to have an impact on our normal lives.” The irony of the potential need for continuous blackouts is that Britain produces enough energy to power the nation. The near blackout in London was not caused by a lack of power, but rather by the inability to transport the required power to London, according to Dr Dani. READ MORE: Restore Boris campaign discovery as Tory chiefs hit back at demands Transporting energy from production areas, for example offshore wind farms, to areas of high demand is proving to be a struggle for the national grid. Dr Dani said there have been periods of time when the UK has been unable to use its energy, particularly energy from offshore wind farms, due to “capacity issues” with the national grid. He added: “Last year, there was a period of time where the UK couldn’t use a lot of that energy that was being [produced]. There was an oversupply of energy because we don’t have the storage facilities. So there is a wider concern.” There are plans to invest £54 billion in the national grid and drive offshore wind to more than triple its current 50 gigawatts. However, there is also resistance to planned projects. Various groups are pushing against the installation of overhead cables and other infrastructure needed to transport and store energy. DON’T MISS: Furious Zelensky shames EU ‘bureaucracy’ as Ukraine’s army under-resourced [REPORT]Sleeping with a fan on all night can be “bad” for your health [INSIGHT]North Korea’s Big Weakness: ‘Take it away, everything falls apart’ [ANALYSIS] Dr Dani said: “It’s very difficult to get the permits and licenses to put it up in the UK at the moment because there is a lot of public outcry against building these pylons and overhead cables in the UK.” In response to this, there have been proposals to build more submarine cables to deliver power from offshore farms. These cables already exist from Belgium, the Netherlands and France – which is why ESO was able to buy power from Brussels during the heatwave. As the energy crisis continues and Britain pushes for a net-zero future, tough questions will likely have to be asked. This could lead Britain to a situation where 24/7 electricity is no longer guaranteed. Dr Dani added: “We have to think very hard about whether we will have the energy 24/7 and whether this will have an impact on our normal lives.”
