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Energy review sets out the key energy priorities for the new UK Government
15 December 2024
This week the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) released their flagship publication, with contributions from PML scientists, highlighting the UK energy priorities. It also explores how action can be galvanised across a number of key areas, including electrification, renewable heat, industrial strategy, equity and nature.
The ‘UKERC Review of Energy Policy 2024: The integration principle challenges in energy infrastructure investment’ was launched at an event in Cardiff that gathered energy researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders for thought-provoking discussions and engaging presentations. The event also welcomed Ed Sheriff, Deputy Director of Energy for the Welsh Government, as the keynote speaker.
The key considerations from the review include:
- Ensuring that the energy transition delivers for vulnerable consumers.
- The challenges of clean power by 2030 must not distract from the even larger challenges of post-2030, when the whole electricity system needs to expand.
- Addressing the continued use of gas and its decommissioning and the future expansion of offshore wind farms.
- Developing a comprehensive industry decarbonisation strategy as 50% of industrial energy consumption is still provided by fossil fuels.
- Placing protection of nature at the heart of the energy transition.
PML’s Prof. Nicola Beaumont (UKERC Co-Director) and Dr Stephen Watson (Deputy UKERC Co-Director) were authors on the ‘Integration Principle: Challenges in Energy Infrastructure Investment’ chapter, which looks at the challenge of reconciling the ambitions of the Clean Power 2030 Mission with the ‘integration principle’ embedded in the Environment Act 2021. The ‘integration principle’, involves considering “…the potential to cause a negative environmental effect which could be avoided, minimised, or reduced through alterations to the policy in proportion to other policy aims”.
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