• The REA responds to the Labour Party’s “green prosperity” plans;  
• REA welcomes focus on renewable energy as the route out of our current energy crisis;
• To be a clean energy superpower however, there must be a focus across all forms of renewables and in heat, energy efficiency and transport as well as power.

The REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology) has welcomed the Labour Party’s launch of their energy policy proposals in Edinburgh today (19 July 2023). The package of policies announced, described as the “national mission on clean energy” are designed to decarbonise the energy system and industry, including plans to insulate 19 million homes, set up a national clean energy company, decarbonise electricity supply by 2030 and a national wealth fund to invest in green infrastructure.

Furthermore, the headquarters of the new state-owned green energy company GB Energy promised by Labour is to be based in Scotland and the party has said it will create 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in Scotland in the clean power sector, focussing on a Just Transition.

However, the REA notes that any actions to help remove barriers to make the UK a clean energy superpower by 2030 must focus on the full range of technologies available and look beyond the power sector to decarbonise areas of heat and transport as well. The this includes supporting innovative home-grown bioenergy technologies, such as BECCS, along with deep geothermal and marine power.

We require a wide range of business models and technologies to deliver decarbonisation of the energy sector and unleash the highly skilled green jobs and investment we know are out there.

Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, CEO at the REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology) said:

“We welcome today’s announcement from Labour that clean energy will be at the heart of their energy plans for the UK, if elected.

“As Sir Keir makes clear, renewables can deliver cheaper, greener power than any alternatives and must be rolled out at scale as quickly as possible. The REA echoes his statement that clean energy is now essential for national security. We will be interested to see further details on the GB Energy proposals and agree in principle that local communities should benefit economically from projects in their areas, as this could become a major added benefit of the Net Zero transition, with local authorities being well placed to decide how best to distribute these benefits.

“We now need to see a greater focus across the full range of renewable technologies, including bioenergy, geothermal and marine, in addition to the welcome commitments on onshore wind and solar.”

—ENDS—