Committee on Climate Change requests New Auctions for Low-Carbon Power, Organisations Respond

RenewableUK, WWF UK and Scottish Renewables have responded to reports released today by the Committee on Climate Change.

Maf Smith, the deputy chief executive of RenewableUK, has commented on the series of reports released today by the government’s advisory body, Committee on Climate Change, regarding new auctions for low-carbon power. His full comment can be seen below:

“The CCC is right to highlight the fact that new auctions for low-carbon contracts can help drive down the cost of people’s electricity bills.”

When it comes to putting the consumer first, onshore wind deserves a clear route to market, as it’s the cheapest way to generate new power.

“The UK Government’s leading role in securing the global agreement on climate change in Paris is being backed up by firm action at home. Renewables are playing a major role in our commitment to decarbonise, as well as delivering affordable, home-grown power to British homes, factories and offices”.

Also in response to the “Next steps for UK heat policy” report, Emma Pinchbeck, Head of Energy and Climate at WWF-UK commented: 

“The message from the independent experts on the CCC is loud and clear: while a 38% reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 is a huge UK success story, we can’t afford to delay in delivering further reductions. Investors, businesses and citizens need more action to protect them from the dangers of climate change – yet the CCC estimates that current plans will only get the UK halfway towards delivering its Climate Change Act commitments. There are disturbing gaps in energy efficiency and heat policy  – so rather than setting new targets, Ministers first need to focus on delivering on existing ones.  We urgently need a plan setting out how to meet the carbon budgets that are now enshrined in law.

“Every challenge in climate and energy policy presents an exciting opportunity for growth. As it develops an emissions reduction plan, the Government should explore innovative technologies to take carbon out of the atmosphere; it should set out new ways of targeting heat policy effectively; and it should engage strongly with European initiatives like the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.”

Jenny Hogan, Director of Policy at Scottish Renewables has also commented:

 “The Committee’s advice on the day the landmark Paris Agreement is ratified could not be clearer – the UK Government must urgently get on with the job of meeting its emission reduction targets without delay.

“Already behind on its climate and renewable energy targets, we agree that the Government needs a clear strategy to decarbonise heat – which makes up almost half of the energy used in the UK.

“As part of a package of support Government must now reform the Renewable Heat Incentive to ensure the roll-out of low-carbon heat networks and technologies.

“The provision of a route to market for our cheapest forms of low-carbon electricity generation – onshore wind and solar – is, we agree, key to meeting what the Committee calls our ‘already stretching’ emissions goals. Excluding these technologies, as the CCC states, increases costs for consumers.

“The renewables industry is poised to work with the UK Government to achieve these ambitions, enabling us not only to meet our legally-binding climate targets, and those set through the Paris Agreement, but also increase the UK jobs and investment renewable energy is already delivering”.