The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has urged the UK government to target power sector emissions of below 50 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour by 2030.
In its annual progress report, the statutory climate advisor said the UK’s adoption of a net zero emissions target by 2050 would require strengthening of the current 100gCO2/kWh power industry carbon intensity ambitions.
The CCC’s scenarios for 100gCO2/kWh in 2030 require around 270 terawatt-hours of low-carbon generation to be online by 2030.
The CCC said 180TWh has already been built or contracted and a further 75TWh could be achieved by delivering the 30GW ambition in the offshore wind sector deal, leaving a gap of 15TWh.
However, a 50gCO2/kWh carbon intensity target would add 45-50TWh to the gap in 2030, leaving a total of around 60TWh additional uncontracted low-carbon generation required during the 2020s.
The CCC said the forthcoming energy White Paper should aim to support a quadrupling of low-carbon power generation by 2050.
“This new ambition can be delivered under the current electricity market arrangements, by making use of competitive auctions and applying a technology-neutral approach wherever possible,” the report states.
“Contracts could be offered to a pipeline of mature renewables such as onshore wind, solar PV and offshore wind, which can meet new electricity demands at low cost,” it added.
The CCC also called on the government to draw up contingency plans for delayed or cancelled low-carbon generation projects.
The advisor also urged Whitehall to make plans for networks to be capable of meeting higher demand for electrical energy.
The calls came as the CCC said the UK credibility’s on climate change hinges on government action over next 18 months.
The body found the UK has delivered just one of 25 critical policies needed to get emissions reductions back on track.
“It’s time for the government to show it takes its responsibilities seriously. Reducing emissions to net zero by 2050 requires real action by government now,” said CCC chairman Lord Deben.
RenewableUK deputy chief executive Emma Pinchbeck said: “Government should remove their barriers to cheap onshore wind and invest in innovation: floating wind, marine renewables and energy storage are vital to global decarbonisation.”
“Our offshore wind success shows that investing in green technologies in the UK pays dividends – not just for carbon reduction, but for British industry – the CCC says we should be repeating that success in other technologies, because the clock is ticking on climate change,” she added.