As part of our Countdown to COP series, Utility Week speaks to EDF’s director of strategy and corporate affairs, Paul Spence. He discusses the need for collective action on driving down the costs of decarbonisation for consumers as well as a comprehensive public education campaign.

COP26

What do you want hear from the conference?

A great outcome would be to build on the Paris Agreement and achieve a similarly binding agreement in Glasgow that would see all nations pledging to go further and setting out plans to deliver. We are a big supporter of all low carbon technologies and want to see renewables and nuclear, in particular, given the space to show how they can contribute to decarbonisation around the world.

What should the legacy of COP26 be?

Hosting COP26 in Glasgow is an excellent opportunity to build greater public awareness in the UK and accelerate our climate action. This, along with plans and financial commitments to deliver decarbonisation, whilst protecting nature and the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change around the world, should be the legacy of COP26.

Is your company actively participating in COP26?

Senior leaders from EDF will be taking part in numerous events and panel discussions during COP26. We’re focused on our mission to help Britain achieve net zero, and COP26 is the perfect forum to achieve positive action. I’m really looking forward to meeting those from business, government and civil society in Glasgow.

Has the UK done enough this year to position itself as a world leader on climate change?

The UK’s ambitions are clear. We’ve legislated for net zero, had the 10 Point Plan and plans to Build Back Better, with more renewable and nuclear generation acknowledged as crucial to decarbonising the UK’s energy system.  We have a great track record in electricity decarbonisation.  We now need to show we can accelerate our delivery of even more in electricity alongside decarbonising transport, heat and industry. The current energy crisis demonstrates the urgent need to move away from our over-reliance on gas and generate more low carbon electricity in the UK.

Walking the talk

When is your company planning to get to net zero?

EDF Group has committed to achieve net zero by 2050, has signed up to the Business Ambition for 1.5 degrees and through this, is part of the Race to Zero. EDF in the UK is part of this commitment.

On 7 of December 2020, the CO2 emission reduction targets that the EDF Group set itself in March 2020, covering both its direct emissions (scope 1) and indirect emissions (scope 2 and 3), were validated by Science Based Targets as being aligned with a “Well Below 2°C” trajectory in accordance with their specifically developed methodology for the electricity sector.

As a group, EDF is committed both to intensifying the decarbonisation of its electricity mix, and also to supporting its customers with the decarbonisation of their energy uses through promoting innovative solutions (electric mobility, heat pump, renewable heat network, energy savings).

This involves:

• reducing direct and indirect CO2 emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 50% (2017 basis), including emissions from non-consolidated generation assets and emissions associated with electricity purchased for sale to end customers;
• reducing CO2 emissions associated with the burning of gas sold to end customers (scope 3) by 28% (2019 basis).
• This trajectory represents an absolute reduction of direct greenhouse-gas emissions amounting to 25 Mt CO2 by 2030, equivalent to a carbon intensity of approximately 35 g CO2/kWh in 2030, one of the lowest in the electricity sector.

Thanks to its energy mix mainly made up of nuclear and renewables, EDF is already an exception amongst other electricity utilities with 55 g/KWh compared to 294 g/KWh on average in Europe.

In the UK, as a result of closing our last coal station two years before the UK government target, the carbon intensity of our combustion emissions from electricity generation will be zero from 2023.

To what extent should utilities look to offset emissions as opposed to focusing on achieving zero carbon?

We believe that the priority should be to reduce emissions wherever possible. Offsetting should not be used as an excuse to carry on with high carbon business-as-usual activities.  In the limited instances where offsets are used, it is essential they are high quality and reliable.

Customers and the community

What role can utilities play in helping to engage customers on the path to net zero?

Energy companies will be critical in helping customers reach net zero, whether it is supplying the zero carbon electricity that will be needed to power their homes and cars or advising them on the best and most efficient way to reduce their home heating emissions. We’re already working with our customers to empower them with the right technology, advice and energy.

One of the biggest challenges to engagement will be the perceived costs of going green. If we are to successfully tackle climate change, customers will need to see that they will be supported and not end up worse off for doing so. This will involve ensuring there is the right mix of policy costs, government support and incentives for customers taking action, with targeted support available for those who are financially vulnerable or constrained against making changes straight away. This, alongside comprehensive public education campaigns and innovative technology solutions, will help us advance on this collective goal of tackling climate change together.

Policy & regulation

What is your principal ask of government and regulators to help your company contribute to the net-zero push?

Achieving net zero will require several political and societal changes, but our principal ask to government is a clear framework for financing further new nuclear. We’d like to see the government enable markets to drive investment, complemented with strategic planning to consider the correct volume and generation mix. Developing Sizewell C is a solution on offer right now to support the UK’s increasing need for low carbon electricity.  It builds on the progress at Hinkely Point C and would meet 7% of the country’s needs. A commitment to the project and funding it via the regulated asset base model would enable that project to get going – boosting jobs as well as making great progress to net zero by 2050.

This interview is part of the Countdown to COP series. To read more click here.