Official predictions of future energy use have one thing in common - they are all wrong

clock • 5 min read

Andrew Warren argues that for 50 years governments have over-predicted future energy use, and they are continuing to make the same mistake

For the past 50 years, the UK government has issued many projections estimating future demand for energy. These have varied greatly, especially regarding the predicted market share of different fuels 15...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Efficiency

'Heat pumps cost less to run': Octopus launches dashboard to track data for installed heat pumps

'Heat pumps cost less to run': Octopus launches dashboard to track data for installed heat pumps

New website features anonymised data from every installed Cosy heat pump, providing real world evidence of how the technology is working for households

Stuart Stone
clock 20 March 2026 • 3 min read
Over 500 pubs, restaurants, and hotels to receive energy-saving support

Over 500 pubs, restaurants, and hotels to receive energy-saving support

Government to expand programme that provides hospitality businesses with tailored guidance on how to cut energy bills and carbon emissions

James Murray
clock 17 March 2026 • 4 min read
Deep Green: Swimming pools were an early proof point, not the end game

Deep Green: Swimming pools were an early proof point, not the end game

Mark Bjornsgaard explains how Deep Green is designing data centres so the power they consume is used twice, and why the company is more than just 'the swimming pool guys'

Stuart Stone
clock 16 March 2026 • 6 min read