Plans do not include measures for climate change-limiting
carbon capture.
Would make the UK more dependent on the fossil fuels that
caused soaring energy bills.
Government also launches second review of electricity
market arrangements (REMA) consultation.
The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA)
is concerned that the Government’s targets to decarbonise power
by 2035 are in jeopardy following announcements to support the
building of new gas power plants.
To make matters worse, the plants will not attempt to limit
emissions at all as they will not be built with carbon capture
technology.
The REA is disappointed to see Prime Minister and Secretary of State describe these
measures as enhancing energy security, when these plans will
only continue the country’s reliance on fossil fuel imports, the
very same issue that caused huge spikes in energy bills in the
first place.
Regarding the REMA consultation, the REA notes the fairly open
nature of the consultation, but welcomes progress on the
programme and the continued focus on making the energy system
work better for consumers, while focussing on decarbonisation.
The REA also welcomes the move to discount nodal pricing, a split
market, or green power pool, as very disruptive to investment. It
is important all the various market changes underway are
considered in the round to avoid anything being overlooked.
Read the REA 2024
Manifesto.
Frank Gordon, Director of Policy, REA (Association for
Renewable Energy and Clean Technology) said:
“While we welcome the chance to engage with the next stage of
REMA reform, every pathway to Net Zero is clear – the sooner we
wean ourselves off unabated fossil fuel gas the better. While the
CCC do state that running unabated gas for 2% of the time by the
mid-2030s will technically be compliant with Net Zero
trajectories, it begs the question of why to build them in the
first place when there are viable alternatives that could be
utilised more. They will be expensive backups that could just as
easily be provided by green options, including bioenergy with
carbon capture; a considerable expansion in biogas and
electrolytic (clean) hydrogen; alongside an ambitious energy
efficiency programme, and ramping up the use of energy storage
and other flexible technologies.
The misguided argument that building new unabated fossil fuel
gas plants will be the answer to the energy security crisis -
caused by our reliance on this exact energy source - is short
sighted and does not face up to the very real challenges the UK
will face should Net Zero targets not be met.
