The UK government has committed to getting 95 percent of the country’s electricity from low-carbon sources by 2030 and to completely decarbonize the grid by 2035. It also targets “up to” 50 GW of offshore wind power by 2030, including “up to” 5GW from floating offshore schemes.
Angela Terry, CEO of One Home, praised Brexit Britain’s strategies, saying: “We are doing very well in decarbonising our electricity and the offshore wind industry in particular is thriving around the UK coast creating jobs and lowering price of electricity.
“So that’s where there’s consistent long-term support in government policy.
“The industry was able to build, invest and scale the workforce, effectively making us one of the world’s leaders in offshore wind farms.”
Turbines placed at sea are more efficient and reliable than those on land, but they cost significantly more to build and maintain.
The price of electricity from offshore wind has recently fallen to its all-time low and is now four times cheaper than gas-fired power plants.
Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak has pledged to uphold the ban on building new onshore wind farms if he wins the Tory leadership race and becomes the next prime minister.
The former chancellor would reverse Boris Johnson’s plan to relax the rules and let local communities agree to host turbines in exchange for cheaper electricity bills.
Speaking to The Telegraph, he promised to introduce a legal goal to make Britain self-sufficient in energy by 2045 by overseeing a massive expansion of offshore wind power.
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He told The Telegraph: “Wind energy will be an important part of our strategy, but I want to reassure communities that as Prime Minister I would scrap plans to relax the ban on onshore wind in England, rather than focus on building of more offshore turbines.”
Mr. Sunak has also committed to re-establish the separate Ministry of Energy, which was transferred to the Ministry of Affairs in 2016.
He would also set up a new Energy Security Committee before the winter, tasked with keeping the lights on and reforming the market to lower future bills.
He said: “As energy bills skyrocket in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has never been more important for our country to achieve energy sovereignty so that we are no longer dependent on the volatility of global energy supplies.
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“That is why, as Prime Minister, I would introduce an ambitious new plan to make the UK energy independent, by investing in essential new technologies.
“I’m committed to Net Zero in 2050, but that shouldn’t mean we neglect our energy security.”