UK energy reforms ‘will enable new era of clean electricity’

The Energy Secretary said, “A new era of clean electricity for our country offers a positive vision of Britain’s future with energy security, lower bills, good jobs and climate action. This can only happen with big, bold change and that is why the government is embarking on the most ambitious reforms to our energy system in generations.

“The era of clean electricity is about harnessing the power of Britain’s natural resources so we can protect working people from the ravages of global energy markets.

“The clean power sprint is the national security, economic security, and social justice fight of our time. This plan gives us the tools we need to win this fight for the British people.”

Responding to the announcement, RenewableUK director of future electricity systems Barnaby Wharton described the Clean Power Action Plan as “a landmark moment for the clean energy sector” that would give investors a clear government target of establishing a lowest cost electricity system dominated by wind and solar, but they now have a roadmap to achieving it. 

Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit head of energy Jess Ralston said, “The UK has paid the price for over-reliance on expensive gas over the past few years and the crisis is not over yet. Accelerating the rollout of renewables will stabilise prices and clean technology like electric heat pumps will increasingly run off British wind and solar. Continuing to accelerate this rollout is the way we will avoid being on the hook for expensive gas in future.”

The Crown Estate managing director marine Gus Jaspert said, “For more than 20 years the UK has led the world in creating the right environment for the growth of offshore renewables, which have become the cornerstone of our energy transition. This Action Plan is an important step towards accelerating the move away from fossil fuels and the deployment of new offshore technologies such as floating offshore wind or carbon capture and storage. 

“To achieve these ambitious targets, it is more important than ever that we work together to maximise the potential of our marine space, which also means prioritising nature recovery and supporting the many other industries that rely on this vital resource. We welcome this report’s recognition of the role our Marine Delivery Routemap can play in bringing parties together to enable a long-term view of how the seabed can play its part in the delivery of the government’s clean power and growth ambitions.”

Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa UK head Darren Davidson said, “We are proud to be part of this clean energy mission and to contribute to the growth of renewable technologies in the UK. Siemens Gamesa has installed more than 10 GW of offshore wind in the UK, which is nearly 70% of the UK’s installed wind operational capacity. To date, we have manufactured over 2,300 offshore wind turbine blades at our factory in Hull. We have more than 1,300 employees in Hull, after recruiting more than 600 people in the last 12 months. Each worker is playing a vital role in the energy transition.” 

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