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Electrifying the energy system and powering it by low carbon electricity is one of the key decarbonisation pathways of the energy system. This study examines annual electricity and gas consumption in a high electrification scenario in Great Britain (GB) and the implications for electricity generation and transmission infrastructure using a suite of soft-linked models. High electrification of heating and transport services, which are two major fossil fuel consumers in GB, increases annual electricity consumption and peak electricity load by 35% and 93%, respectively, by 2050 while reducing overall annual energy consumption compared to a reference case. Meeting this high electricity consumption with a supply strategy that is dependent on offshore wind could more than double the supply-side investments required compared to a reference case, if demand-side measures are not available. High electrification would also impact existing gas and oil energy infrastructure by reducing consumption of these fuels. It was found that uncertainties in socio-economic growth can amplify these implications and therefore need serious consideration by analysts and policymakers involved in designing energy transition strategies. A case study and discussion demonstrate that smart-grid aided demand-side management has the potential to minimise electricity peak load and infrastructure requirements from high electrification.

The purpose of this study was to use a semi-structured approach to identifying constraints to modal shift from a variety of perspectives. It is argued that cognitive work analysis offers a new way of thinking about the modal shift problem and helps to generate new insights into potential solutions.

The economy and well-being of modern societies relies on complex and interdependent infrastructure systems to enable delivery of utilities and movement of goods, people and services. This complexity has resulted in an increased potential for cascading failures, whereby small scale initial failures in one system can result in events of catastrophic proportions across the wider network. Resilience and the emerging concept of resilience engineering within infrastructure are among the main concerns of those managing such complex systems. However, the disparate nature of resilience engineering development in various academic and industrial regimes has resulted in a diversity of definitions and characterisations. These are discussed in this paper, as are the commonalities between sectors and between different engineering disciplines. The paper also highlights the various methodologies used as part of resilience engineering implementation and monitoring, current practices including existing approaches and metrics, and an insight into the opportunities and potential barriers associated with these methodologies and practices. This research was undertaken for the Resilience Shift initiative to shift the approach to resilience in practice for critical infrastructure sectors. The programme aims to help practitioners involved in critical infrastructure to make decisions differently, contributing to a safer and better world.