Energy targets struggle

Planning, 27 June 2008

Hot on the heels of a raft of planning measures suggested by a DBERR-sponsored independent board, the UK has endured more bad press on its efforts to drag renewable energy production out of the dark ages.

The Commons innovation, universities, science and skills committee (IUSSC) has added its concerns to last week's critical comments from the Renewables Advisory Board (Planning, 20 June, p1). The board warned that grid studies, streamlined consent processes and - most importantly - strong leadership are needed to reach a renewables target of 15 per cent by 2020.

At the current rate of progress, the committee considers that it is highly unlikely that the UK will meet the government's ambition for ten per cent of electricity to be generated from renewables by 2010, let alone the European Commission's mandatory target of 15 per cent by 2020. Its report claims that wind energy will make the greatest contribution to meeting the 2020 target, given the relative maturity of the sector and ongoing construction capacity.

But wind project leaders fear that progress is stalling. According to the British Wind Energy Association, only five per cent of applications for onshore wind projects are decided within the statutory 16 weeks while several applications have been held up in the system for five years.

Meanwhile, energy minister Malcolm Wicks is still in talks with the EU over the 15 per cent target, on which confirmation is expected next spring. Wicks told the committee that "this is a perfectly reasonable negotiation" and the final target will be "there or thereabouts". For its part, the committee views the decision to haggle as "surprising".

"The government recognises the challenges in achieving our share of the EU target for renewable energy when agreed," says a DBERR spokesman. "We plan to publish our strategy consultation shortly and we will publish the document itself next spring. There is great momentum behind renewables. We will soon be the world leader in offshore wind."

But Sustainable Development Commission vice-chairwoman Rebecca Willis has little sympathy for the minister's efforts. "Meeting the 2020 renewables target needs to be the first step in a much more ambitious process if we are serious about dealing with the threat of climate change," she insists. "Decarbonising our energy supply is increasingly important and we cannot afford to fall behind these targets."

Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Robin Webster adds: "The government must deliver a strong green energy strategy instead of trying to wriggle out of EU targets. The UK's abundant wind and wave power could create an industry worth millions of pounds and thousands of jobs, cut carbon emissions and wean us off our increasingly expensive fossil fuel dependency."

To meet the target, it is estimated that 35 per cent to 40 per cent of electricity would have to come from renewables. But in 2006 the proportion was just 4.6 per cent. The IUSSC endorses widespread business concern that much of the country's energy infrastructure is reaching the end of its 50-year lifetime.

Distribution as well as generation is problematic. Much of the UK transmission system was built to transport and distribute electricity generated by coal-fired power stations. As a result, the grid is designed to distribute power from a small number of large power stations rather than a large number of relatively small renewables installations.

It also has limited capacity to handle generation from remote areas such as windswept north-west Scotland where wind energy is likely to be harnessed. In response, two large infrastructure projects are planned to plug this gap.

In Scotland, there are plans to construct a high-voltage transmission line between Beauly, west of Inverness, and Denny near Falkirk. The second project involves the upgrade of the north-south transmission system, which supports large power flows between Scotland and the north of England.

The prospect of an infrastructure planning commission (IPC) to speed approval of such schemes provides little comfort for frustrated project managers. The IPC as proposed would decide on onshore projects of more than 50MW and offshore projects of 100MW upwards, with a nine-month time limit on the consent process.

The upside is that developers would no longer need to apply for consent under different pieces of legislation for parts of the same project. For instance, an onshore power station currently requires consent under the Electricity Act 1989 and planning permission for overhead electric lines.

However, there is widespread concern that by concentrating on larger projects the IPC will leave smaller schemes struggling through the planning procedures. The IUSSC notes that up to 40 per cent of onshore renewables projects submitted fall below the 50MW threshold required for IPC consideration.

Furthermore, sites with the potential to support a 50MW wind farm are relatively rare in England and Wales and many of these will have been developed by the time that the IPC comes into operation. Wave and tidal devices are in the early stages of development, but the committee's research found that projects are not expected to reach even half of the 100MW threshold.

It seems, therefore, that a significant proportion of renewable energy projects will fall outside the IPC's remit. The government has some persuading to do - not only in the European corridors of power but also among its own backbenchers - before any great strides in production are achieved.