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Labour Party’s proposals to address the energy crisis
welcomed by the REA;
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The proposed renewable targets recognise the need to
bring down energy bills and deliver energy security, but Labour
must also go further to deliver a diverse and flexible energy
system;
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Conservative Party urged to recommit to their own
British Energy Security Strategy, as leadership candidates
question the role of renewables;
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The REA stands ready to work alongside any Government
to ensure these targets are delivered.
The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA)
has welcomed the Labour Party’s announcements, saying that the
plans recognise the vital role of renewables in bringing down
energy bills and delivering energy security.
If the targets are met, it will help address the underlying cause
of the current energy crisis by helping the UK to get off
imported fossil gas that is subject to volatile international
markets. Equally, commitments to energy efficiency will also help
to reduce demand and further protect consumers from higher bills.
The REA says that Labour now needs to set out what mechanisms
they would use to see these targets delivered and how they will
work with the renewable and clean technology sector to see
deployment rapidly increased. In addition, it must be ensured
that a diverse low carbon power system is delivered, including
commitments to other low carbon technologies that are critical to
energy security, including a range of bioenergy applications,
deep geothermal energy and energy storage.
Today’s announcement from Labour, invites comparison to the
Government’s own British Energy Security Strategy, published in
April. This included similarly ambitious renewable energy
targets. However, with current Prime Minister candidates
seemingly questioning the role of renewables, the industry will
be looking for the incoming Conservative administration to
quickly recommit itself to their own strategy, which is not yet
six months old.
The REA, its members, and the industry as a whole stand ready to
work alongside any Government to ensure these targets are
delivered.
Mark Sommerfeld, Head of Power and Flexibility at the
Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA),
said:
“The REA welcomes these targets, as they recognise the need for
renewables to bring down energy bills and deliver energy
security. Increasing the amount of home-grown low carbon power
generation, while supporting energy efficiency measures, will
remove the UK’s reliance on expensive imported fossil gas. In
doing so it divorces energy bills from the primary factor behind
the horrendous forecasted costs that will be faced by consumers
and businesses this winter.
“Labour must now set out what mechanisms they would use to see
these targets met. They must also go further to ensure the
delivery of a diverse and flexible energy system, with
commitments to other low carbon technologies crucial to energy
security, including bioenergy, geothermal and energy
storage.
“Labour’s announcements also bring into sharp contrast recent
statements from the Conservative leadership candidates, who have
questioned the role of renewables, even though they are the
cheapest forms of generation. Despite being published only six
months ago, the Government must recommit itself to its own
ambitious renewable targets as set out in the British Energy
Security Strategy.
“The REA, its members, and the industry as a whole stand ready to
work alongside any Government to ensure these targets are
delivered so that energy bills are taken under control.”
