A shift from markets towards central planning will help deliver the UK’s target of a clean electricity system by 2030, speakers at the BIEE’s biennial Policy Conference suggested.
Rebecca Sedler, managing director, interconnectors, at National Grid Ventures, said that the “Lack of a strategic energy plan in the UK has hindered our competitiveness against others in Europe”. She cited Netherlands grid operator TenneT, which set up a large scale programme that has allowed it to set up a supply chain framework, and secure supply chain partners, factory capacity for the necessary equipment and stable prices. The UK industry had been “on the back foot” in comparison.
Chris Stark, head of the government’s Mission Control tasked with delivering the a green electricity system by 2030 and helping make the UK a ‘green energy powerhouse’ sounded a similar note, saying that the target was could be reached with current technologies. The difference was that Mission Control would have a single plan and commit to it. He said, “we need to move at lightning pace and we haven’t achieved that in energy policy in recent decades”. He added that “the infrastructure for 2030 is in the system already, but it can’t be delivered under the present policy regime. We need policy decisions” such as in energy storage, grid queue management and planning reform. There will be an action plan this year, he said, but the vehicle that will enable faster develepment will a planning and infrastructure bill, which should enter parliament next year.
Stark admitted that some decisions on energy infrastructure “won’t be popular”. He said the new Mission Control would be modelled on the vaccine task force. It would need “the best possible expertise and independent challenge” and the people providing that will be announced soon. It will also need data on key projects to track progress and actively push forwards as well as clear support across government support for difficult decisions.
James Richardson, chief analyst and acting chief executive of the Climate Change Committee agreed that “most can be done by rolling out a now-established set of technologies”. Now policy was needed to provide confidence to investors and consumers, make sure they can connect to the grid, manage risks, remove barriers and give financial incentives where necessary, eg for home heating.