UK committe calls for greater focus on onshore wind, tidal

In the UK, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee on Thursday issued a report with recommendations on how to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels and secure energy supplies in the context of the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Key recommendations include a "war effort" on energy efficiency, setting a clear date for ending new oil and gas licensing rounds and taking greater advantage of the country’s renewables potential.

“The UK has enormous renewable energy potential and sectors such as offshore wind are booming. But more must be done to harness the opportunities which onshore wind, tidal and solar technologies provide. Developers should be required to fit solar panels on new homes as standard,” said committee chairman Philip Dunne.

The report calls for ambitious targets for onshore wind and tidal energy to send the right demand signals to the industry. It criticises the government’s energy security strategy for overlooking the potential of onshore wind to make a fast contribution in the short term and of tidal energy to contribute to the energy security baseload in the long term.

It also recommends that the Treasury look into introducing a low-carbon investment allowance for low-carbon electricity generators affected by the new temporary tax of 45%, similar to the one in place for oil and gas producers. In a statement generally welcoming the report, the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) said that this is something it has also been calling for since the new tax was announced.

The committee further calls for faster action from the oil and gas sector to reduce emissions from oil and gas extraction. According to it, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) should insist on the electrification of all new oil and gas projects in the 33rd licencing round.

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