The Carbon Trust warned today that if the UK is to reach its proposed renewable energy target of 15 per cent by 2020, developing electricity-generating renewables will only provide part of the solution. Commercialising technologies including wave and tidal power, offshore wind and next generation photovoltaics will be essential, but without a greater emphasis on technologies to provide renewable heating and transportation, the UK will struggle to reach this challenging target.
Mark Williamson, director of innovations at the Carbon Trust, said: “These targets are stretching and will require a massive increase in the UK's renewable electricity-generating capacity. But this will only take us part of the way and arguably the challenges involved in developing the renewable heat and transport sectors are even greater.”
He added: “The UK must build on existing strengths in offshore wind, marine and next generation photovoltaics, but we must also maintain a diversity of approach to determine which technologies will deliver in the long term. To meet these targets requires a step change in investment and policy efforts, but the reward is a world-beating renewable industry that can drive economic growth in the UK through domestic and large export markets.”
In a recent submission to the Department for Innovation, University and Skills Select Committee, the Carbon Trust highlighted some key actions needed to accelerate the commercialisation of renewable technologies:
• Increased funding for demonstration and field trials of renewables to enable technologies to reach commercialisation.
• Greater use of public funds to provide venture captial, co-investing alongside private investors, at the early, higher risk stage of technology and company development.
• Ongoing review of support mechanisms such as the Renewables Obligation, to ensure that these are stimulating the required investment at sufficient volume and pace.
• Greater collaboration at an international level to avoid duplication of effort and as an effective way of conducting and financing large scale, complex renewables projects.
• Acceleration of the planning process for renewable deployments and grid infrastructure upgrades.
• Investment in the supply chains for renewable technologies to ensure the availability of key components, so as not to hold back deployment and growth.
Mark Williamson said: “It is clear that greater support for technology demonstration and field trials will be needed, but all additional funding should be viewed in the context that the renewable energy industry has significant potential to create wealth and economic value for UK Plc”.
He added: “The 15% target gives us a huge opportunity to stimulate the deployment of renewable electricity technologies such as offshore wind and capitalise on the fact that the UK has some of the best natural resources in Europe, as well as significant expertise in offshore engineering. However, electricity is only one part of the story and we urgently need to accelerate the adoption of renewable heat solutions, such as biomass heating, and increase the focus on developing a new generation of more efficient and sustainable biofuels for transport”.
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