Will the new planning regime be fit to deliver the significant number of new energy projects we will desperately need over the coming years? This was the question discussed at a seminar in London yesterday hosted by GL Hearn and RSK.
The UK government proposed a number of changes through the 2008 Planning Act including the controversial introduction of new government quango – The Infrastructure Planning Commission or IPC. The effectiveness of the new system and the IPC will be crucial to the delivery of large renewable energy projects, nuclear and electricity lines.
Kim Gauld Clarke from the Department of Energy and Climate Change talked about the new system for consenting infrastructure projects under the IPC. The IPC will rely on guidance set out in National Policy Statements (NPS) which are to be issued for specific renewable energy technologies, airports and nuclear power. Kim said the NPS’s are in the process of being written and that “the first tranches of NPS will be out for consultation in the summer, although the nuclear NPS will be later in the year“. NPS on onshore and offshore wind energy are expected to be amongst the first to be issued.
Tony Lamb from GL Hearn talked about the importance of public consultation which will be a pre-condition of an acceptable planning application. Local authorities will be a statutory consultee in the process and will produce “local impact reports”. He warned “just because you (the developer) are in line with NPS does not mean local issues will not be taken into account.”
Hector Pearson from National Grid talked about the electricity network issues facing the UK’s ambitious green energy plans. Hector said “20% of electricity demand is inside the M25 motorway” i.e. London. He went on to say “12 GW of coal and oil generating plant is due to go off over the next 5-10 years with 7.5 GW nuclear power coming on. Major issues will surround public consultation on electricity network projects and companies will need to demonstrate that local people’s rights have not been affected”
Hector said “under National Grid’s green scenario – i.e. under the scenario where the electricity network will allow the government targets on renewable energy to be met, 29% of our nations energy will come from wind. This will require second by second balancing achieved by flexing generation, smart metering, storage and flexing demand. We may have to look at ways of changing our behaviour for example pricing electricity so we don’t all switch on the kettle at the same time in the morning.”
Hector Pearson believes there are major issues that need to be tackled if we are to follow the green scenario. For example in Wales new electricity lines are likely to be needed through Snowdonia National Park and in Cumbria a new overhead line through the Lake District, because the new nuclear power stations have substantially greater generating capacity than the old ones that existed on the sites.
Generation is moving from inland, central areas to Scotland and the coast. 10 GW renewable generated electricity will be carried south from Scotland and 4GW of offshore wind energy is going to need to be connected. Hector pointed to the need for anticipatory investment i.e. strategic investment upfront rather than waiting for the electricity generator to knock on their door and ask for a grid connection. His view was that the UK electricity network can be developed to facilitate our green objectives, however it is dependent on 3 fundamentals:
- planning
- ofgem (regulator) supply solutions
- demand solutions
