Britain has no clear strategy on how it plans to meet a target of decarbonising its electricity system by 2035, threatening efforts to boost energy security according to report out today by the country’s climate change advisers
A decarbonised power system is the central requirement for achieving Net Zero in the UK and the prize for all modern economies. Access to reliable, resilient and plentiful decarbonised electricity – at an affordable price to consumers – is key to a thriving, energy secure economy, less dependent on imported oil and gas says the committee
However The Government has not yet provided a coherent strategy to achieve its goal, nor provided essential details on how it will encourage the necessary investment and infrastructure to be deployed over the next 12 years,” a report by Britain’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said.
Reforms need to be made to the country’s systems for planning, consenting and connecting new projects to the power grid to enable development to scale up and meet the target, the report said.
Lord Deben, Chairman of the Climate Change Committee, said: “For 15 years, the Climate Change Committee’s main recommendation has been to decarbonise British electricity. The offer of cheap, decarbonised electricity for every consumer and business is now within reach, thanks to pioneering efforts to develop renewables.
“Now there is more at stake. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought home the fundamental importance of energy security. A reliable energy system based mainly on UK’s plentiful renewable resources now has new significance.
“We know how to do this, but Government is asleep at the wheel. Recent commitments for new nuclear and renewables are welcome, but these alone are insufficient. A rapid overhaul of the planning system and regulations is needed. It is not clear where the responsibility lies for the design and operations of our modern energy system rests among key organisations.
“Countries around the world are now racing for this goal. The UK is further ahead than most, but we risk losing our early lead at the worst possible time.”
