'The only thing that really scales up apart from nuclear is solar power from other people’s deserts. If we imagine having a choice between 50 nuclear power stations – 50 Sizewells – which would cover current electricity consumption in Britain… If we say “No, we don’t want that”, the alternative is we go to Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and talk about building five Greater Londons’ worth of solar power stations.' Cambridge Professor David Mackay appointed Chief Scientific Adviser at the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on 3 September