12 March 2024 , 09:36
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The Government has pledged to build new gas power stations to prevent what ministers have called a ""genuine prospect of blackouts".
Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho will explain in a speech at Chatham House that we'll still need gas power for our electricity beyond 2030. The Government says this won't stop us from reaching our goal of zero emissions by 2050.
Before the speech, Rishi Sunak said that the UK must reach its target of reducing emissions by nearly 80% by 2035, on the way to the 2050 goal. He added that this should be done in a way that doesn't leave people without energy on a day with no sun or wind.
However, Labour accused the Tories of leaving Britain facing another decade of high energy bills and energy security issues. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), a think tank, said that falling North Sea output would make the UK more reliant on foreign gas.
The plans to increase gas power capacity include changing existing rules so new plants are ready for net-zero and can switch to lower-carbon alternatives. This could mean using hydrogen to create power or using technology to capture and store carbon emissions.
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The Government said that new gas power plants would not need to run as often as other low-carbon technologies like renewables and nuclear power become more common. It says we need more electricity because we're using more things like electric cars and heat pumps.
The Prime Minister said: "Our record on net zero speaks for itself the latest stats show that we're already halfway there, with greenhouse gas emissions 50% lower than in 1990. But we need to reach our 2035 goals in a sustainable way that doesn't leave people without energy on a cloudy, windless day. I will not gamble with our energy security. I will make the tough decisions so that no matter what scenario we face, we can always power Britain from Britain."
Ms Coutinho is going to say in her talk: "There are no two ways about it. Without gas backing up renewables, we face the genuine prospect of blackouts. Other countries in recent years have been so threatened by supply constraints that they have been forced back to coal."
"There are no easy solutions in energy, only trade-offs. If countries are forced to choose between clean energy and keeping citizens safe and warm, believe me they'll choose to keep the lights on. We will not let ourselves be put in that position. And so, as we continue to move towards clean energy, we must be realistic."
The government has highlighted the need for continued, unabated gas generation into the 2030s as a back-up to ensure energy security and reduce costs, with backing from independent advisers, the Climate Change Committee.
Shadow Energy Secretary Ed Miliband was critical of these plans, saying: "Today, the Energy Secretary has confirmed that, after 14 years of failed Conservative energy policy, under the Tories Britain would face at least another 10 years of high energy bills and energy insecurity because of their plans. Of course, we need to replace retiring gas-fired stations as part of a decarbonised power system, which will include carbon capture and hydrogen playing a limited back-up role in the system."
"But the reason the Tories cannot deliver the lower bills and energy security we need is that they are specialists in failure when it comes to our clean energy future: persisting with the ludicrous ban on onshore wind, bungling the offshore wind auctions, and failing on energy efficiency."
Jess Ralston, an energy analyst at ECIU said: "The North Sea will continue its inevitable decline with or without new licences leaving us ever more dependent on foreign gas unless we lower demand. The UK is going backwards on energy security because of the Government fumbling its latest auction for British offshore wind farms, failing on its home insulation schemes and dithering on heat pumps."
"Without carbon capture technology, these gas plants may only have a decade or two before they are decommissioned, and who's going to pay for that? ".
Doug Parr from Greenpeace UK said: "The Government's cunning plan to boost energy security and meet our climate goals is to make Britain more dependent on the very fossil fuel that sent our bills rocketing and the planet's temperature soaring. The only route to a low-cost, secure and clean energy system is through attracting massive private investment to develop renewables and upgrade our aging grid, but this government has failed on both fronts."
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The support for gas is part of the second consultation on the review of electricity market arrangements, which also includes proposals for different wholesale prices in different regions to better match supply and demand, which the Government argues would bring down energy bills for consumers.