UK has no strategy to reach carbon-free electricity target by 2035 – advisers

Britain has set a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 and wants to improve its energy independence following a rise in energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which requires a significant increase in renewable energy production. Like wind energy and solar energy.

As part of this objective, it aims to decarbonise its electricity supply by 2035 to reduce dependence on gas imports.

“The government has yet to provide a coherent strategy to achieve its target or key details of how it will promote the investment and infrastructure needed over the next 12 years,” says the UK Commission on Climate Change’s (CCC) report.

According to the report, reforms need to be made to national systems for planning, permitting and connecting new projects to the grid to allow growth to increase and reach the target.

The report estimates that with rapid reforms, Britain could generate 70% of its electricity from renewable sources, with nuclear power and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage around 20% by 2035.

The rest of the supply can come from low-carbon by-products such as hydrogen turbines and some fossil-fuel power plants with carbon sequestration technology.

Only 2% of the supply is expected to come from gas-fired power plants without carbon capture technology, which currently account for 40% of the country’s electricity supply.

The CCC warned that Britain’s electricity systems are inadequately prepared for the risks climate change could pose to vital infrastructure, and that this should be taken into account in the development of new schemes.

“If climate resilience is not addressed in this investment, there is a risk of increased climate vulnerability or additional costs later on,” the report says.

Climate risks to power systems include increased storms or flooding that damage infrastructure or changes in wind speed that could affect wind power generation, the report added.