The UK government today published the eagerly awaited Renewable Energy Strategy. The new strategy lays out plans to meet the UK target of producing 15% of the UK’s energy from renewable sources by 2020.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Renewables, nuclear and clean fossil fuels are the trinity of low carbon and the future of energy in Britain. Under our plans we will get 40% of our electricity from low carbon energy by 2020 and more in the years afterwards.
“Our plan will strengthen our energy security, it seeks to be fair to the most vulnerable, it seizes industrial opportunity and it rises to the moral challenge of climate change.
“In five months, the world must come together at Copenhagen and follow through on the commitment of world leaders last week to stop dangerous climate change. Today we have shown how Britain will play its part.” We need to all-but eliminate carbon from electricity by 2050“.
To help the electricity grid network problems – the government proposals include £6m to start development of a ‘smart grid’. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will take direct responsibility from electricity regulator – Ofgem for establishing a new grid access regime within 12 months.
A new Office for Renewable Energy Deployment in DECC is proposed to speed up the growth of renewables in the UK. £11.2m has been earmarked to help regions and local authorities prepare for and speed up planning decisions on renewable and low carbon energy.
The final shortlist of the schemes for the Severn Tidal Power feasibility study is confirmed as three barrages (including the Cardiff-Weston barrage) and two lagoons. Three smaller schemes have also won funding to support their development.
A consultation covering the changes to the existing Renewables Obligation (RO), including an extension of the life-time of the RO to 2037 is to be launched this year.
Approval for the UK’s largest biomass power station on Teesside has been granted planning consent and 14.5 Gigawatts has been confirmed as expected to come from onshore wind energy by 2020 with Miliband sending out a strong message that the biggest threat to the countryside is not wind turbines but dangerous climate change.
New national policy statements will be prepared by the government and will set out the country’s need for new energy infrastructure. Separate statements are being produced for nuclear power, renewable energy, electricity networks, fossil-fuel generation and oil and gas pipelines and storage.
