UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s new energy strategy “puts the rocket boosters” under the UK’s transition to renewable energy, according to RenewableUK.
RenewableUK chief executive Dan McGrail (pictured) said: “The Prime Minister’s ambitious new strategy puts the rocket boosters under the UK’s transition to renewable energy and will cut consumer bills.
“The new targets mean that our world-leading offshore wind industry will do the heavy lifting in getting Britain permanently off the hook of gas power by boosting our nation’s home-grown energy supply.”
“Reforms to speed up the planning system and how quickly we connect new offshore wind are essential to meet these new ambitions.”
In the strategy Johnson has pledged to lift the UK’s offshore wind target from 40GW to 50GW by 2030 with 5GW of this amount apportioned to floating wind.
Under the strategy 95% of UK power will be generated from low carbon sources by 2030 shrinking fossil fuel generation to 5%, from around 40% today.
That shift will be powered largely by the growth of renewable sources with new targets and policies set out for wind, solar and renewable hydrogen.
Ministers will also be consulting on developing partnerships with local communities who wish to host onshore wind farms and benefit from lower electricity bills, potentially unlocking new capacity in England.
McGrail said: “We need to make use of every tool in the box to boost our energy independence, so it’s right that Government is looking again at planning rules so that onshore wind can proceed in parts of England where there is support, as it’s the cheapest source of new power and the quickest to build.
“Ramping up the roll-out of innovative technologies is vital too, and the increased targets for green hydrogen and floating wind will help us to build up new industries.
“Producing renewable hydrogen using electricity from wind will provide valuable flexibility to our future clean energy system, replacing gas in a wide variety of sectors like industry, transport and heating.
“In the short term, we have a unique opportunity to boost renewables by maximising the amount of capacity we can secure in the current clean power auction, and step up in each subsequent annual auction to the hilt.”
Commenting on the strategy Keith Anderson, ScottishPower CEO, said: “Supercharging ambition on green energy security is to be welcomed – we have the projects and are ready to build them.”
He said it takes five times longer to get a project through the UK’s planning system than to build it.
“That’s got to change if we’re to stand any chance of weaning our energy system off global gas and making a green future a reality,” said Anderson, adding that the Government could “unlock tens of gigawatts” if it removes the cap on the next green energy auctions.
Gary Smith, GMB General Secretary, said that beyond the strategy’s goals there are “serious questions about the worrying lack of specific commitments on UK jobs”.
He added that “lofty promises” of tens of thousands of jobs in offshore wind “just don’t stack up” when the UK continues to award vital new projects to “companies based in authoritarian regimes”.
“The UK should be building this energy future, not surrendering it to other nations”, he added.