UK Government issues outline Energy Security strategy

• 2 years ago (2022-04-07)
• David Flin

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The UK Government has issued an outline of its new Energy Security Strategy, including increased targets for offshore wind, hydrogen, and nuclear generation. The Strategy is designed to help the UK respond to the energy price crisis, which is being exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Government promises a “major acceleration of homegrown power generation”.

The Government expects the measures outlined in the Strategy to result in an electricity generation mix that is 95 per cent low carbon by 2030. It had already said it would achieve a 100 per cent low carbon mix by 2035.

The Government has increased the UK’s 2030 target for installed offshore wind capacity from 40 GW to 50 GW, of which around 5 GW will be floating platforms. Planning rules will be reformed to reduce approval times for large offshore wind projects from four years to one.

The Government also stated that it believes the UK’s installed capacity of solar energy could grow fivefold by 2035. However, it has not yet set targets.

The Strategy targets 24 GW of installed nuclear capacity by 2050, including delivery of eight large plants by 2030. It will also support SMRs.

The Strategy also expands Britain’s plan to host 10 GW of green hydrogen by 2030, up from last year’s target of 5 GW.