It is December 31, 2049, a crisp, windless night. In Westminster, crowds watch the hands of Big Ben approach midnight. In Loch Ness, a pumped storage scheme built precisely for when conditions are crisp and windless, provides the electricity to light its face. In the well-insulated homes of those watching on TV, it also powers heat pumps that keep less adventurous revellers warm. After the purchase of a carbon credit, a carbon sequestration fan is already locking up one fireworks display’s worth of sin.

Source: The Times May 02, 2025 16:36 UTC