Infrastructure UK, which advises the government on the country's long-term infrastructure needs, predicts that between now and 2015, about ￡100bn must be invested in energy to ensure security, meet climate change objectives and deliver a low-carbon economy. Why so much? The UK suffers from an aging energy infrastructure, has a significant nuclear decommissioning bill, an EU-driven obligation to generate 15% of UK energy from renewable sources by 2020 and a commitment to a 30% reduction in carbon emissions by the same date. Of the money needed to deliver this, 80% is expected to come from private sources, regulatory change and new incentives, which leaves the government with a still-hefty 20%.
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