UK govt backs new gas power for energy security

The UK government today outlined plans to support the building of new gas power stations as a “common-sense” move to ensure the country’s long-term energy security.

“There are no two ways about it. Without gas backing up renewables, we face the genuine prospect of blackouts,” Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho says in a statement.

The plans were set out as part of the second consultation on the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements, which will run till May 7. In the consultation document, the Energy Security Secretary says that renewable generation must be complemented by flexible power and the UK will continue to need a limited amount of gas-fired generation as a back-up, so the life of some of the ageing unabated gas assets will be extended. “But new build will be required too. That is why we will also build a limited amount of new build, traditional gas capacity capable of providing sustained flexible capacity in the short-term, at the same time as ensuring a smooth transition to low carbon flexible generation sources in future,” she adds.

In a joint statement renewables industry organisations RenewableUK and SolarEnergyUK questioned the government’s power market reform. They drew concerns over the proposed move to zonal pricing, which would divide the wholesale electricity market into zones with different prices in a bid to locate generation close to demand and ease constraints on the transmission grid. The organisations, however, said zonal would introduce additional uncertainty into the market, increasing the cost of capital for renewable energy.

The industry is also concerned with the future gas plans.

“While the Government has chosen to emphasise the potential role of backup gas power in its announcement today, the renewables industry is doing all it can to deliver a carbon-free electricity system. New, grid-scale energy storage can make this a reality by storing power from renewables, enabling us to use clean, affordable power 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Gemma Grimes, director of policy and delivery at Solar Energy UK.

In the official announcement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, stated: “Our record on net zero speaks for itself – the latest stats show that we’re already halfway there, with greenhouse gas emissions 50% lower than in 1990.

“But we need to reach our 2035 goals in a sustainable way that doesn’t leave people without energy on a cloudy, windless day.”

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