The UK government has today confirmed plans to decarbonise the country’s electricity grid by 2035 that were first revealed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week at the Conservative Party conference.
Johnson and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured) said the decision brings forward by 15 years the government’s commitment to a fully decarbonised power system set out in the Energy White Paper.
To ensure this ambition becomes a reality, the government will double down on efforts to deploy a new generation of home-grown technologies – from offshore wind, hydrogen and solar, to nuclear, onshore wind and carbon capture and storage, the government said.
Kwarteng said: “Our plan to move to clean energy and a carbon-neutral economy means new kinds of jobs in new kinds of industries.
“The world needs the innovation and entrepreneurial genius of British companies for this transition to succeed.
“Recent volatile gas prices have also demonstrated how the way to strengthen Britain’s energy security, ensure greater energy independence and protect household energy budgets in the long-term is through clean power that is generated in this country for the people of this country.”
The government added that to ensure a clean electricity system is reliable, wind and solar power will need to be complemented by other clean technologies, such as nuclear and flexible technologies, that can supply electricity or reduce demand when the output from wind and solar generation is low.
The government will set out further details on its wider plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, through its net zero strategy, which will be published ahead of the UK playing host to the UN COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology chief executive Nina Skorupska said: “It is very welcome that the government has committed to decarbonising the UK’s electricity system by 2035. Firm, long-term policy is now needed to ensure that this target is met including; regular CfD auctions; routes to market for Large Scale Energy Storage and BECCS; plus a grid that appropriately rewards flexibility.
“We look forward to receiving the upcoming Net Zero Strategy in the coming weeks and hope that it will provide detailed and wide-ranging support for all renewables and clean technologies.
“However, we believe that the government could be even bolder in its ambitions, with our Strategy setting out a plan which could see a Net Zero grid delivered by 2032.
“There is an urgent need to electrify significant proportions of heat and transport quickly and decisively, and there is much more work to do to increase grid flexibility to support the energy transition.
“In short, this is a positive commitment, but one that now needs to be backed up by substantive policy.”