A dramatic decline in the buildout of renewables is jeopardising Britain’s world-leading progress on decarbonisation, researchers from Imperial College London have warned. According to the latest edition of the quarterly Electric Insights report, the UK is now at risk of missing its legally-binding climate change targets despite record-high renewable output last year. The report, produced on behalf on Drax, says the carbon intensity of the GB power grid averaged 217gCO2/kWh in 2018 – an 8 per cent fall on the year before. This represents the slowest rate of decarbonisation since 2013. To meet Committee on Climate Change’s target of 100gCO2/kWh by 2030, the figure must be cut by 6 per cent per year over the intervening period. But the report says it is currently projected to fall by just 5 per cent annually after new wind and solar installations hit an eight-year low in 2018. The government’s own forecasts show this slump continuing into the next decade.
Utility Week 14th Feb 2019 read more »
