Renewables slump jeopardising progress on decarbonisation

A dramatic decline in the buildout of renewables is jeopardising Britain’s world-leading progress on decarbonisation, researchers from Imperial College London have warned.

According to the latest edition of the quarterly Electric Insights report, the UK is now at risk of missing its legally-binding climate change targets despite record-high renewable output last year.

The report, produced on behalf on Drax, says the carbon intensity of the GB power grid averaged 217gCO2/kWh in 2018 – an 8 per cent fall on the year before. This represents the slowest rate of decarbonisation since 2013.

To meet Committee on Climate Change’s target of 100gCO2/kWh by 2030, the figure must be cut by 6 per cent per year over the intervening period.

But the report says it is currently projected to fall by just 5 per cent annually after new wind and solar installations hit an eight-year low in 2018. The government’s own forecasts show this slump continuing into the next decade.

New wind and solar installations by year

Source: Electric Insights, Imperial College London and Drax

Iain Staffell from Imperial College London said: “The UK has led the world in decarbonising electricity and that continued in 2018 as output from renewables hit new highs.

“The sharp fall in new solar and wind projects coming online is worrying, and the likelihood that this trend will continue raises serious questions over future progress towards meeting our climate targets.”

Nina Skorupska, chief executive of the Renewable Energy Association, said: “Changes to energy policy in recent years hit the solar PV, onshore wind and bioenergy sectors hard.

“Renewables represent some of the lowest cost forms of new power generation today, a fact recognised by the government in both recent statements from the secretary of state and the clean growth strategy.

“However, there remains a significant policy gap and an absence of a fair route to market for new renewable and clean technology projects.”