Power shift is too much too soon and could prove impossible task However, few people now believe that CCS will become available at an affordable cost in the required timescale. So the only practical route to hit the targets will be to build even more renewables, and new nuclear, and have gas-fired stations operating as back up. Effectively, the policy goal is to phase out fossil fuels from power generation within 15 years. And the cost ? We're looking at over £100bn in the UK just to get to the 2020 milestone and at least the same again in the next decade. Which brings us nicely to the problems faced by the Coalition Government. Delivering on the targets set by the EU in 2003 and 2009 was always going to be a monumental challenge even if the economy had stayed strong, which it didn't. It was always going to be a huge ask even if renewable technologies were easy to deploy, efficient, and economic, which they are not. And it was always going to be hugely expensive, which might have been OK if the public was willing to pay any price in their bills but it would appear they are not. All governments today face three drivers on their energy policy; combating climate change, ensuring security of supply and making energy affordable . The impact of superstorm Sandy in the US brings home the stark reality that modern society quickly falls apart without electricity. But EU energy policy, so embraced by the UK, gives weight to reducing CO2. When the directives were issued little thought was given to security of supply and affordability for the consumer. Moreover, the EU is unique in so aggressively using energy policy to combat climate change. Unsurprisingly, however, politicians across Europe have found that, in reality, the cost to the consumer does indeed matter a great deal and that security of supply is economically essential. Governments throughout Europe are therefore desperately seeking ways to rebalance energy policy to take more account of the cost and security of supply, but crucially so far they are also trying to stick to the CO2 reduction targets. The UK Government is far from alone in finding energy a hot topic. The forthcoming Energy Bill is the latest attempt to square the circle. The Bill will attempt to attract investment in renewables and new nuclear by transferring risk from the developers to the electricity consumer. The hope is that by lowering the risk for investors the eventual cost to the consumer in their utility bills will be less. Will it work? It may well attract additional investment. After all, improve the risk/reward and more companies should want to build. But the big problem is that too much is being asked of one sector. To move from a predominately fossil fuel-based power system to one that is overwhelmingly renewable and nuclear in such a short space of time, whilst keeping the lights on and consumer bills under control, might actually prove an impossible challenge. And even to attempt it is to take a hell of a risk with an industry upon which the whole economy and society depends. Peter Atherton is an independent utilities analyst