Achieving net zero power in Great Britain by 2030 – what would need to be done?

AFRY study finds that fast, co-ordinated and concerted effort by policymakers and industry is required to achieve net zero power in GB by 2030.

The new Labour government in the UK has set a deadline of delivering a net-zero electricity system by 2030, 5 years earlier than the current target, as part of its aim to make Britain a clean energy “superpower”. Delivering net-zero by 2035 is already a major challenge for the sector and many have questioned whether the Government’s target is feasible.

Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the trade association representing businesses involved in energy generation from the UK continental shelf and its supply chain, commissioned AFRY Management Consulting to consider what would be needed to achieve net-zero power in GB by 2030. Our study found that, while extremely challenging, with fast, co-ordinated and concerted effort by policymakers and industry, it can be achieved.

Key insights include:

• A 2030 net-zero system requires over 90GW of new low-carbon generation capacity – 20GW more than that necessary to be on a trajectory to net-zero by 2035;
• There is sufficient capacity in renewable project pipelines to meet their contribution, though historical peak deployment rates of key technologies will need to be maintained or exceeded each year between now and 2030;
• All identified CCS and hydrogen projects would need to be operational by 2030, regardless of current status of development;
• Action to streamline the planning process is needed to ensure capacity is proceeding to construction quickly enough;
• Revenue support schemes will need to be scaled up or implemented to encourage the level of new capacity required;
• While much can be done within the existing policy framework, there is little scope for delay – action needs to be fast and co-ordinated across the sector.