An Unambiguous Statement that Renewables are the solution to the UK’s future energy needs

  • National Infrastructure Commission releases their first National Infrastructure Assessment
  • Report is unambiguous in its support for renewables as the cost-effective and affordable route to ensuring decarbonisation and meeting the UK’s energy needs.
  • REA calls on Government to take the NIC’s recommendations forward as part of the Industrial Strategy.

A new report today by the National Infrastructure Commission concludes two years of in-depth assessment of the UK’s future infrastructure requirements. The recommendations in relation to renewable power, heat and transport make clear that Government must focus future policies on renewables in order to meet the UK’s future energy requirements.

Commenting on the report, James Court, Head of Policy and External Affairs at the Renewable Energy Association said:

“The NIC rightly highlights the need for the government to be bold in its ambition to decarbonise. Strong ministerial actions now would lead to the cheaper, cleaner and smarter energy system we need.

“We have seen incredible cost reductions in electricity in the last decade and providing new renewable energy auctions for the most established technologies will provide a cost-effective route to market for the cheapest generating technologies. This goes hand in hand with delivering a flexible, decentralised and low carbon grid that will help to future-proof the UK’s infrastructure.

In relation to the recommendations on decarbonising heat, Frank Aaskov, Policy Analyst at the Renewable Energy Association said:

“The Commission’s focus on the decarbonisation of heat is hugely important. The government should take such recommendations seriously and endeavour to go beyond them in order to ensure the deployment of the complete range of technologies, including biomass heat, Biogas-to-Grid and heat networks, to ensure deep and meaningful decarbonisation of the heat sector.”

In relation to future waste infrastructure requirements, Mark Sommerfeld, Policy Analyst at the Renewable Energy Association said:

“The modelling the commission has done on future waste infrastructure requirements is very valuable and we applaud their recommendations on having separate food waste collections by 2025 and setting a recycling target of 65% of all wastes and 75% of plastic packaging by 2025. The government must now look closely at the modelling the commission has done in order to ensure the waste management capacity gap is met, taking forward these recommendations into the Waste and Resource Strategy which the industry looks forward to seeing by the end of the year.”

Finally, on the decarbonisation of the transport sector, James Court, Head of Policy and External Affairs at the Renewable Energy Association said:

“We also welcome the NIC’s recognition of an electric future for the transport sector, if we are to be world leaders in electric and autonomous transport solutions for the 21st century this government needs to seriously consider bringing forward their plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and work with the private sector and local authorities to ensure consumers have access to the charging infrastructure they need to switch to a new clean generation of road transport.”

—ENDS—

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

James Court
Head of Policy and External Affairs
+44 (0)20 7981 0863
[email protected]

Notes to editors

  • The National Infrastructure Assessment Report: https://www.nic.org.uk/assessment/national-infrastructure-assessment/

About the Renewable Energy Association (REA)

The Renewable Energy Association represents renewable energy producers and promotes the use of all forms of renewable energy in the UK across power, heat, transport and recycling. It is the largest renewable energy and clean technology (including energy storage and electric vehicles) trade association in the UK, with around 550 members, ranging from major multinationals to sole traders.