4 years, 7 months, 23 days, 19 hours
29 November 2024
The vision may well be impossible. But that is not the point.
“It gives us vision, certainty and ambition. This is what we have been asking for. We have to get behind this”.
This was the plea earlier today from the UK’s Electricity Network Commissioner, Nick Winser, in reference to the UK government’s plan to get to a position where the UK’s entire power system is fully decarbonised by 2030. That plan is set out in the advice of the National Energy System Operator to the Government which was published three weeks ago. The full details are here: Clean Power 2030 | National Energy System Operator.
Nick’s comments came as part of an hour’s discussion on the UK’s energy markets, within a 2-day event ranging across the whole of the infrastructure landscape, which I chaired. But I alight on this particular point, partly to draw attention to the level of clean energy ambition that the new UK Government has embraced, and also because it exemplifies some wider points I have made repeatedly:
First, that when we talk about partnership between public and private sectors, for Net Zero or more generally, clarity of vision is repeatedly identified as the most important thing a government can offer, because it then allows all other stakeholders to line up behind that. Nick was implicitly railing against those who, in this case, were rushing to say the vision was impossible to achieve. Everyone agrees it is exceedingly difficult. Indeed it may well be impossible. But that is not the point. Because like the challenge to land a person on the moon it has the power to galvanise a huge amount of energy (sorry!) towards a common goal, and even getting 90% of the way there by 2030 would be a stunning success.
Second, that the race to clean energy is a win-win-win, offering energy security, long-term sustainability and lower prices. The trouble is that those lower prices are not always in evidence during the period of transition, and sometimes the poorest households are those least aware or least able to access the benefits. But there is a story that needs to be told about the benefit to economies, businesses and households that can be freed from price volatility and sometimes political ransom from fossil fuel energy dependency.
Third, that in things on which our populations depend, such as energy, clean water, schools and healthcare, all progress is fraught and will be constantly frustrated unless we can articulate simply and clearly and honestly (especially in respect of uncertainties and difficulties) in conversation with citizens why and what and how, including why it matters and why it is fair and then deliver against that. We tend to think this sort of thing is for politicians. But someone at the table this morning left hanging the question, “whose responsibility is it really?” I think the answer is that responsibility lies with all of us.