Clean Power 2030 and the journey to a net zero future
Last week saw the Government mark a key milestone on its mission of achieving clean power by 2030, with the publication of a national Clean Power Action Plan.
The publication follows a report last month from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) on the pathways for achieving clean power by 2030. NESO’s advice to Government is that the clean power target will be a challenge but is achievable – it will require the sector to do things differently and work together to deliver change.
Government itself acknowledges the scale of what lies ahead to achieve clean power by 2030, in what Secretary of State Ed Miliband describes as “the most ambitious reforms to our energy system in generations.” But the reward is clear – not only in terms of delivering clean, secure, homegrown energy and protecting consumers from the kinds of price spikes we witnessed during the energy crisis, but also in terms of the economic opportunity for Britain.
Delivering clean power by 2030 will require decisive action in key areas including electrifying demand, decarbonising electricity generation and tackling barriers and bottlenecks to the delivery of low carbon infrastructure.
Electrifying demand
Government acknowledges that consumers need to be at the heart of the journey to clean power, with their ability to do so underpinned by technology and innovation.
At EDF we couldn’t agree more, and we remain committed to helping our customers save cash and carbon. This year, our solar panel and battery installer, EDF Solar; heat pump installer, EDF Heat Pumps; and EV charger installer, Pod Point, have brought us closer to a ‘whole house’ net zero offering, alongside the introduction of innovative tariffs including the UK’s first solar and heat pump tariffs.
2024 also saw us launch our Sunday Saver challenge, where customers who shift their electricity usage away from peak hours can earn free electricity on Sundays, not only helping them to save cash and carbon, but also reducing pressure on the grid. This Christmas, customers who have signed up to our December Sunday Saver challenge will receive the gift of eight hours of free electricity on Christmas Day.
Earlier this year we launched a new grounding campaign with Octopus Energy called Electrify Britain to help drive widespread electrification across the UK to help make energy cheaper, more secure, and drive economic growth. The campaign is shining a light on areas where there is still work to do to address barriers to electrification, such as making electricity pricing fair by reducing the burden of policy costs from domestic electricity bills, and measures to support the electrification of home heat, such including ending the installation of gas boilers in new home builds.
The Clean Power Action Plan acknowledges the importance of a successful smart meter rollout in unlocking a clean power system. To date the smart meter rollout has had some great successes, with nearly two-thirds of British homes having one installed, and EDF is proud to have installed more than 3.4 million smart meters. But now that most customers who want a smart meter have one, it’s also clear that a new approach is needed if we are going to achieve high levels of smart meter participation.
Decarbonising electricity generation
The other key component of achieving clean power is decarbonising electricity production. In the UK we are dealing with aging gas and nuclear plants, and the need to decarbonise is driving the need for new zero carbon generation.
The good news is that this replacement programme is well underway, and we saw a major milestone in the UK earlier this year as the UK became the first G7 country to phase out coal power.
At EDF, we’re proud to be playing a leading role in delivering the zero carbon generation this country needs, both today and in the future, as the country’s largest generator of zero carbon electricity.
Earlier this month, we were pleased to help support the 2030 target with the announcement of a short life extension to our existing AGR nuclear stations at Heysham 1 and 2, Torness, and Hartlepool. As well as bolstering energy security, the decision will support plans for the rapid expansion of renewables by helping to maintain grid stability. It will also help limit the UK’s dependence on gas, with a further 45TWh of output displacing around 9.3 billion cubic metres of gas, enough to fill 62 liquified natural gas tankers.
The Action Plan signals the Government’s intent to move away from fossil fuels in favour of home-grown energy that will provide energy security, protect us against volatile international prices and present opportunities to reindustrialise delivering jobs and growth. Nuclear is recognised as playing an important role in the future energy system and which can deliver all of the above. We welcome the Government’s commitment to supporting Hinkley Point C and the recognition of the need to seek to streamline regulatory processes and foster innovation to ensure that nuclear can play its part for many years to come.
On the theme of innovation, we recently marked an important milestone at Hinkley Point C with the first nuclear reactor fitted to a British nuclear power station for a generation. The project is an excellent example of how clean power can boost economic growth – Hinkley Point C is supporting 23,500 jobs across the country, and 71,000 British jobs will have been supported by the end of construction. Hinkley Point C is also paving the way for future nuclear projects, including its sister project at Sizewell C.
Other key enablers for achieving clean power
Government rightly acknowledges a series of other key enablers for achieving success in the 2030 clean power mission.
The challenges around planning in this country are well-known, and the Government’s zeal for reform is welcome. Meanwhile, we must confront the issues of reforming the connections queue to facilitate the right low carbon projects while dealing with the high and unpredictable nature of the charges that recover network costs from users. Put simply, success on these two issues is fundamental to ensuring the success of the energy transition.
A shared mission
At EDF, our mission is clear: to help Britain achieve net zero. We welcome the commitment from Government through its Clean Power Action Plan to electrify Britain with low carbon energy, enhancing energy security, protecting us from price volatility, and creating jobs and growth opportunities.
There is plenty to do, and no time to lose if we are to capitalise on the opportunities for Britain in delivering clean power by 2030, and indeed the long-term transition to net zero.
We stand ready to support the Government in their mission and we’re proud to be playing our part at EDF.
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