‘Net Zero will be a Net Win!’ Conservatives pledge Zero Carbon electricity system by 2035

Britain’s homes and businesses will be powered entirely by cheap, clean, and secure electricity in the next 14 years, Kwasi Kwarteng has announced today.

In a landmark move to end Britain’s dependency on volatile fossil fuels, the Government will introduce a new target to decarbonise our electricity system by 2035.

The Government will turbocharge efforts to deploy a new generation of home-grown technologies – from offshore wind, hydrogen and solar, to new nuclear, onshore wind and Carbon Capture and Storage.

These green technologies will use the wealth of Britain’s natural resources to deliver cleaner, cheaper power – including creating thousands of jobs in new industries across the UK.

Thanks to Conservatives in government, the UK has successfully cut power emissions by 70% since 2010 – the fastest rate in the G7.

The share of electricity generation from coal in the UK has fallen from 40 per cent in 2012, to less than 2 per cent today. We will also phase out unabated coal-fired generation by 1 October 2024.

Further, Conservative governments since 2010 have delivered a 500 per cent increase in the amount of renewable energy capacity connected to the grid – from 8GW under Labour, to 48GW this year.

Thanks to our competitive renewable energy auctions, we are now delivering ever greener electricity at plummeting costs. The price of offshore wind has collapsed by almost 70 percent over the last decade.

However, the current spike in global fossil fuel prices underlines the need to go further to ensure the UK’s clean energy independence so we can protect consumers from volatile gas prices into the future.

The new 2035 target will build on the Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution to secure a future electricity supply with greater focus on zero carbon power that’s generated in the UK, for the UK.

The independent Committee on Climate Change has made it clear that ending the UK’s contribution to climate change by 2050 requires a zero-carbon power grid long before that date. Unabated gas will only be used when the grid most needs it to ensure security of supply, in line with their recommendations.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:

“With a record amount of power coming from renewables, no other party in government has done more than the Conservatives to deliver cheap, green, low carbon electricity.

“Labour lost decade in government left a legacy we are still battling to rectify – no new nuclear power, and next to no investment in renewables. We’ve reversed the trend, but there’s more to do.

“Volatile gas prices mean we need to step up efforts to protect consumers in the long term. The only way to strengthen Britain’s energy security is zero carbon power that is generated in this country.

“Our plan to move to clean energy and a carbon-neutral economy means new kinds of jobs in new kinds of industries. The world needs the innovation and entrepreneurial genius of British companies for this transition to succeed.”

As we set out in the 2020 Energy White Paper, we will aim to bring at least one large-scale nuclear project to the point of Final Investment Decision by the end of this Parliament, subject to clear value for money and all relevant approvals.

The Labour Party shut down our nuclear industry with their decade long moratorium on new nuclear plants. In contrast, Conservatives gave the go ahead to Hinkley Point C in Somerset - the first new nuclear power station in the UK in a generation - and negotiations with EDF over Sizewell C are ongoing.

We are also looking to invest further in the next generation of nuclear technology through our Advanced Nuclear Fund. Subject to value-for-money and future spending rounds, this will enable investment into Small Modular Reactors to develop a domestic smaller-scale power plant technology design that could potentially be built in factories and then assembled on site.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Conservative record

• We’ve grown the economy whilst slashing emissions, decarbonising faster than any other G20 country.Between 1990 and 2019, emissions fell by 44 per cent while GDP rose by 75 per cent, with the UK decarbonising faster than any other G20 country since 2000. ^[1]

• Since 2010 we’ve seen a 500 per cent increase in the amount of renewable capacity. The amount of renewable capacity connected to the grid has increased from 8GW in 2009 to 48GW at the end of June this year (2021), an increase of 500 per cent. The share of low-carbon electricity generation has risen to 59.3 per cent in 2020, with renewables at a record 43.1 per cent (2020).^[2]

• In 2019 greenhouse gases from power generation were down 13 per cent on the previous year. In 2019, greenhouse gas emissions (MtCO2e) from electricity generation were down 12 per cent on 2018 levels and 71 per cent lower than 1990 levels.^[3]

• We’ve seen the longest continuous period without burning coal for power since 1880s. In April 2017, Great Britain experienced its first coal free day since the industrial revolution. From April to June 2020, the total coal-free period lasted 67 days.^[4]

Labour’s record

• Labour failed to invest in renewables in government. When Labour were in power renewables made up just 7 per cent of our energy mix – today its 43 per cent (BEIS,Renewables Table 6.1, 9 September 2021, link).

• This left us highly reliable on price volatile natural gas. Between 1997 and 2010, the total percentage of all electricity supplied by gas rose by almost half, from 31.6 per cent in 1997 to 46.0 per cent in 2010 (House of Commons Library, Nuclear Energy Statistics, 9 September 2013, link).

• Labour’s 1997 manifesto had a chilling effect for the nuclear industry. The 1997 manifesto said: ‘We see no economic case for the building of any new nuclear power stations’ (The Labour Party, General Election Manifesto 1997, archived).

• In government this resulted in no new nuclear power stations being built under Labour since 1970s. This lost decade saw a loss of skills, investment and planning which meant no new nuclear proceeded to final investment decision until the Conservatives delivered the first new nuclear power station (Hinkley Point C) in 2016 (BEIS, Collection, 17 July 2018)

[1] HMG, Energy White Paper, 20 December 2020, link.

[2] HMG, Energy White Paper, 20 December 2020, link.

[3] HMG, Energy White Paper, 20 December 2020, link.

[4] HMG, Energy White Paper, 20 December 2020, link.