Hope for the Future’s Post

This week we look at the clean energy policies included within the King's Speech, the Climate Change Committee's 2024 Progress Report, the announcement of a new publicly owned renewable energy developer in Wales, and more. Please do share this with your contacts. To do so, you can use the embedded LinkedIn link at the base of the website article to share this week's publication directly on your profile. Below is some suggested wording to accompany your post: In this week's #EnergyTransition we look at: ⚡ The clean energy policies included within the King's Speech; ⚡ The Climate Change Committee's 2024 Progress Report; ⚡ A new publicly owned renewable energy developer in Wales; ⚡ NIA reporting on the UK far exceeding power import records; and ⚡ ESO "pathways" to net zero. #Netzero #EnergyTransition #King'sSpeech #CCC #energy-developer #ESO #pathways

https://lnkd.in/ezfRxquK Salix is this eligible for PSDS4? If only! It's disheartening to hear that the UK is considering steps backward in its net-zero policy to address the surging electricity demand. This decision underscores the urgent need for more robust, long-term planning to ensure that we stay on track towards achieving net zero as soon as possible. Sustainable energy transition requires consistent commitment and forward-thinking strategies to overcome challenges while staying true to our environmental goals. It's imperative that policymakers prioritise investments in renewable energy sources and implement effective measures to manage electricity demand without compromising our climate ambitions. We must push for proactive solutions that accelerate our journey towards a net-zero future. #netzero #cleanenergy #renewableenergy #climatechangesolutions #greenenergy Eddisons

The UK government is investing £22 billion in carbon capture projects to cut emissions and create jobs, but critics warn this could extend reliance on fossil fuels. Is carbon capture a smart step towards a greener future, or a costly distraction from renewable energy? Sean Codrington explores the debate shaping Britain’s decarbonisation efforts. https://lnkd.in/eWYqKYy5 mission-to-make-britain-a-clean-energy-superpower/

A very interesting article on 2030 ‘Clean Energy’ grid One thing these routes will not deliver is the “zero carbon electricity system” promised by the Labour party before the election – at least, not all of the time. Since coming to power, ministers have made subtle tweaks to the rhetoric, choosing to talk about “clean power” by the end of the decade. This is arguably a more flexible target. “There’s no established definition of clean power,” says Slye. “So what does it realistically mean? One of the key pieces of work from the Committee on Climate Change found that the cost [of decarbonisation] really begins to escalate when you reach those last percentage points towards 100% clean power. “So at the moment, the working definition that we’re using for this analysis is to reach 95% clean power. That means that, by 2030, 95% of the generation in Great Britain over the period of a year will be from clean power sources. And that means that the remaining 5% will come from unabated gas. That’s our definition.” There will continue to be “a significant amount” of gas power plants in reserve for the cold, dull, windless weeks of winter, but they will run for only limited periods, Slye says. Conversely, there will be days when Great Britain generates far more electricity from renewable energy sources than it can use or store, so there are likely to be greater exports to neighbouring countries. https://lnkd.in/eCu5Ywjw

Empowering Communities and Bridging Infrastructure Gaps for a Sustainable Future 🌍⚡ The discussion around Great British Energy (https://lnkd.in/dkkAQ3FJ) highlights the potential for a national green revolution. But as the UK charts its path to net zero, there are two critical areas we believe deserve even greater attention: community agency in energy projects and equitable investment in infrastructure. At NZ Renewables UK Ltd., we believe that local communities should have a stronger voice in the design of renewable generation and transmission systems. Giving communities a stake in the projects that shape their energy future ensures a just transition that benefits everyone. From economic opportunities to shared ownership, local empowerment must be at the heart of our renewable revolution. We also support the need for disproportionate investment in key regions like Scotland, which leads the UK in wind energy generation but faces bottlenecks in transmission infrastructure. In contrast, regions like Wales, rich in wind potential, need more access to the grid to fully realize their capacity. It’s not just about generating green energy—it’s about ensuring that energy flows where it’s needed through an equitable and efficient grid. By addressing these challenges head-on, we can build a sustainable future that leaves no one behind. 🌱 #CommunityEnergy #SustainableFuture #NetZero #WindPower #InfrastructureInvestment #EnergyTransition

The First Nations Clean Energy Strategy, released today, sets a vision and pathway for government, industry and First Nations to work in a coherent coordinated approach to address access to affordable clean power, and ensure benefit-sharing, partnerships, and First Nations-led projects. As the Strategy document says: "Wherever possible, implementation of the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy should enable First Nations leadership, strong partnerships, and collaboration amongst all parties to create a new ‘business as usual’ that puts Country and Culture at the heart of Australian’s journey to net zero." You can access the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy here https://lnkd.in/gR7mMJv6 Thanks RenewEconomy for publishing this significant milestone in Australia’s clean energy transition! Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

✍ Today RenewableNI submitted its response to the draft Programme for Government and called for the NI Executive to bring a renewed focus to tackling the climate emergency and accelerating renewable energy deployment during the rest of its mandate. Northern Ireland is trailing behind its closest neighbours with no operational support scheme for renewables, in addition to scant progress made on planning reform or grid build-out. This inaction means that the Programme for Government must now be ambitiously bold to ensure that NI can achieve its legally mandated climate targets. 👀 Read our response in full here: https://lnkd.in/eQDKFhyg We called for: ✅ An additional priority, namely tackling the climate emergency. This is a crisis situation and deserves the resources, time and focus which that designation would afford it. 🎯 Foregrounding of the 80% RES-E by 2030 target to make clear the Executive’s commitment to this milestone, and to bolster investor confidence. 🔃 An overhaul of planning policy and process to facilitate net zero infrastructure being delivered at speed and scale. Net zero must be central to all planning decisions with an accelerated process for renewable energy & infrastructure projects. 👩🔧 A commitment from the Executive to do all in its remit to enable a thriving offshore wind industry in NI. It can deliver the scale of emissions’ reductions that future carbon budgets will require, and represents a major economic opportunity for the region. ⏰ A timeline for establishing a Just Transition Commission which is a necessary stakeholder in the wider energy transition, but also in preparation of key climate actions, specifically NI’s carbon budgets and Climate Action Plan. 📑 Progressing energy legislation which can provide the Utility Regulator with the legal mandate to target net zero. Significant investment is needed to upgrade NI’s ageing network so it can facilitate more renewables and the regulator needs to be empowered to prioritise decarbonisation alongside consumer interest. #renewableenergy #programmeforgovernment #northernireland

Ireland's electricity-related Carbon Emissions were down 21% in 2023 and continue to be the closest thing to success Ireland has towards a lower carbon & sustainable society. "The sector which saw the biggest cut in emissions was electricity generation, which achieved a 21% fall despite rising demand." Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Hat Tip to Noel Cunniffe, Justin Moran, and all at Wind Energy Ireland. Conall Bolger EirGrid Group, Paddy Hayes & ESB Networks for, despite a non-fit-for-purpose regulatory and planning framework & nimbyism becoming a profession, continue to deliver the closest thing to "success" Irish society has ref decarbonisation of any sector. While we (Ireland) have significant growing pains and systemic inertia currently, it is still good to be reminded by the World Economic Forum of how far we have come and our ranking of #4 in the world by per capita of electricity supplied by wind. 🇮🇪✅👍

Global Surge In Clean Energy Policies: IEA Report Highlights Trends And Investments #CleanEnergy #EnergyPolicies #IEAReport #EnergySecurity #GovernmentInvestment #SustainableDevelopment #RenewableEnergy #ClimateAction #GreenEconomy #PolicyChange https://lnkd.in/g8pYCr5d

A recent survey reveals that a majority of Brits want their government to ramp up investments in renewable energy sources. With growing awareness of climate change and the benefits of clean energy, the public is pushing for a greener, more sustainable future. Link: https://hubs.li/Q02zB_m30 #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #UK #GreenEnergy #PublicDemand #ClimateAction #EnergyPolicy