• The REA has welcomed the CCC report calling for swifter action on decarbonisation;
• The new report illustrates the mix of solutions necessary to achieve the Government’s Energy Security Strategy;
• Government must urgently address the major barriers to deployment, including ensuring low carbon generation can quickly get through planning, connect to the grid, and attract investment;
• The REA says that the CCC couldn’t be clearer, delivering a secure and decarbonised power system needs urgent action today.

The REA (the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology) has welcomed today’s report on UK grid decarbonisation by the Climate Change Committee (CCC).

Based on new and detailed modelling of the decarbonised power system in 2035, this new report demonstrates the mix of solutions required to achieve the Government’s Energy Security Strategy, changes needed to the design of electricity markets, insights into hydrogen use and the challenge of how to manage climate-related risks to the energy system.

The REA echoes statements within the report, saying that urgent action must be taken in the form of:

• Investing in the UK’s power grid to ensure new generation can connect quickly;
• Significantly speeding up the planning system so that projects can move ahead in a reasonable time frame;
• Ensuring a route to market for a wide range of low carbon generation and storage technologies.

Mark Sommerfeld, Head of Power and Flexibility at the REA (the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology) said:

“The CCC today have demonstrated that government must rapidly address barriers to deployment of renewable and low carbon infrastructure, in order to significantly increase deployment, if the UK is to deliver a secure, affordable and decarbonised power system.

“Today this means urgently investing in our power grid to ensure new generation can connect quickly; significantly speeding up the planning system so that projects can move ahead in a reasonable time frame; and ensuring a route to market for a wide range of low carbon generation and storage technologies.

“With the spring budget coming up next week, Government must also re-establish the UK as an attractive market for low carbon investment. With investors increasingly being attracted to the US and the EU, the chancellor must consider reforms to the UK’s tax system to reopen the investment pipelines for new projects. This includes providing capital allowances for those investing in renewable and low carbon power technologies, while also shortening the period that the new tax on renewable generation (the Electricity Generator Levy) will be in place.

“The CCC couldn’t be clearer, delivering a secure and decarbonised power system needs urgent action today.”

—ENDS—