VOICES | JULIE GODEFROY Reduce demand to secure power for the people While the UKs energy security strategy puts nuclear and fossil fuels back in the mix, Julie Godefroy laments a lack of ambition around energy efciency T he government has published its long-awaited energy strategy, with a focus on security following the invasion of Ukraine. Its aim is clear: If were going to get prices down we need a flow of energy that is affordable, clean and, above all, secure. We need a power supply thats made in Britain, for Britain. The focus of the strategy is on power supply, restating the target for a decarbonised electricity system by 2035 (subject to security of supply), but with an ambition to achieve 95% of this by 2030. To a limited extent, it also covers energy efficiency and demand reduction, as well as system resilience and flexibility. Nuclear governments own admission that it is one of the cheapest forms of renewable power. Fossil fuels The confirmed funding is expected to improve 500,000 homes, a fraction of the UKs 2.8 million A much-reported announcement is the massive increase in electricity generation from nuclear. The new target is up to 24GW by 2050, which is three times the current capacity and would meet up to 25% of projected 2050 electricity demand. This is supported by a range of measures, including public financing, a new British nuclear regulatory body, and streamlined funding and approval processes. All of this is subject to value for money assessment, all relevant approvals and future spending reviews a big if given the industrys track record on costs and timescales. Renewables DR JULIE GODEFROY is head of sustainability at CIBSE In the week when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change called for urgent action, the strategy includes two major statements on fossil fuels: First, allowing new drilling in the North Sea. Ministers have said this would not increase the use of fossil fuels, but simply allow UK-sourced (and lower embodied carbon) ones. New licensing will take into account the upcoming climate compatibility checkpoint, and there are references to carbon capture and storage (CCS), but no firm commitments. We can probably expect this summers CCC progress report to include an analysis of whether this is net zero compatible. Second, an independent review of the moratorium on fracking. This is a bit of Boris Johnson cake-ism: fracking is energy intensive and has high risks of fugitive emissions, so if embodied carbon impacts matter when justifying North Sea drilling they also should when considering fracking. Furthermore, if fracking is to go ahead despite much local opposition, the same should apply to onshore wind (which, anyway, receives more support). The strategy also increases the target for offshore wind to 50GW by 2030 (40GW previously), with faster approval processes. The Climate Change Committee has highlighted the pace and scale of ambition, and the relentless focus needed if this is to be delivered. Solar on non-protected land and rooftops may also be encouraged through simplified planning processes. The upcoming Future Homes and Buildings Standard is not mentioned, but is obviously an opportunity. The strategy does not, however, propose to change the de facto planning moratorium on onshore wind in England, with only a promise to consult on local partnerships with a limited number of supportive communities who may benefit for example, from reduced energy bills. This is disappointing given the potential speed of delivery of onshore wind, the actual level of public support, and the Hydrogen The strategy proposes to produce vastly more hydrogen, doubling the target to 10GW by 2030 subject to affordability and value for money (another big if). At least half would come from green hydrogen it could easily take up a majority of the increased offshore wind production. Up to half would come from blue hydrogen in other words, continuing our dependency on fossil fuels and, to be low carbon, relying on effective CCS. Unfortunately, the governments proposed low-carbon hydrogen standard sets an emissions threshold that does not account for fugitive emissions or provide a net zero-compatible long-term aim that would really drive innovation. Energy efficiency and demand reduction There are some welcome acknowledgements that the first step is to improve energy efficiency, and the majority of our homes are energy inefficient. 14 May 2022 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE May 22 pp14-15 Julie Godefroy.indd 14 22/04/2022 15:07