Expert warning over gas power stations
UK Energy Research Centre
A leading academic has said that new gas-fired power stations in today's Autumn Statement are not a "magic bullet" in terms of meeting climate change targets in 2050.
George Osborne is expected to tell the Commons that up to 30 gas-fired power stations will be built, ensuring that more gas will be produced in the UK by 2030 to guarantee energy supplies and boost private sector infrastructure investment.
Paul Ekins, Professor of Energy and Environment Policy at the UCL Energy Institute and Director of The
UK Energy Research Centre’s Energy Systems theme, said:
"The key issue will not be how many gas-fired power stations there are, but how much they will be used post-2030.
"Forthcoming research by the
UK Energy Research Centre, which analyses low carbon scenarios for the UK energy system in 2050, indicates that if gas-fired power stations are used unabated for peak load post-2030, then we will not dematerialise the power sector adequately to get on the trajectory envisaged by the CCC as being necessary to hit our 2050 targets cost effectively."
In partnership Dods and InHouse Connex are running a tele-conference with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander on Thursday 6th December. For information about how to take part and ask a question click
here
.
