Positive Energy: how renewable electricity can transform ... - WWF UK

Conclusion
The GL GH scenarios show
that the UK can meet the CCC’s
recommendation for near
decarbonisation of the power
sector by 2030 without building any new nuclear
generation capacity.
Furthermore, it is possible for renewables to meet over 60% and up to 88% of demand
in 2030 without compromising security of supply and without going beyond what is
technically feasible, according to government forecasts to 2020 and industry projections.
The importance of reducing energy demand should not be underestimated. As our
ambitious demand reduction scenarios show, cutting energy demand reduces the
estimated capital costs of generation capacity by around £40bn. Demand reduction
will also help to mitigate impacts on consumer bills and reduce the cost and volume
of transmission infrastructure needed. Demand reduction can be achieved by
better incentivising long-term energy efficiency in different sectors of the economy.
Incentivising behavioural change also has an important role to play.
THE UK IS A
GOLDMINE OF
RENEWABLE
RESOURCES AND
STRONG RESEARCH
CAPABILITIES
The UK is a goldmine of renewable resources and strong research capabilities. It is ideally
placed to become a leader in offshore renewable technologies. Building a strong domestic
supply chain and becoming an industrial leader in renewables would help meet the UK’s
decarbonisation objectives, generate substantial growth in green jobs, reduce the UK’s
exposure to volatile imported wholesale fossil fuel prices and make the cost of renewable
technologies fall faster. Bold action, including setting a target for over 60% renewables by
2030, backed up by long-term, stable financial support mechanisms, is key to attracting
investment and reducing costs.
Of the GL GH scenarios presented, WWF has a clear preference for the high
interconnection scenarios, which need significantly less gas generation capacity for
system security. The amount of unabated gas fired generation currently with planning
permission and going through the planning system risks locking the UK into excess
gas generation capacity in 2030 and seriously threatens the UK’s ability to meet future
decarbonisation targets. Curtailing the output of excess plant while ensuring that it is still
available as backup would almost certainly require a subsidy. The cost of this would pass
on to the consumer.
WWF-UK 2011 Positive Energy page 56