The UK pledges to make all electricity generation sourced from green power and renewable energy by 2035 as part of the country’s net zero emission goals.
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What is Happening?
- The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed plans for all of Britain’s electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2035.
- The aim will help the UK’s path towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and protect the country against gas price surges amid the fuel crisis.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson aims all electricity generation in the UK to be 100% sourced from green power and renewable energy by 2035.
Speaking at the UK Conservation party conference taking place between October 3-6, Johnson has confirmed plans for the country to shift towards green power as part of the goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and to meet the Paris Agreement targets.
Amid the UK’s ongoing fuel crisis, caused by a shortage of truck drivers which was exacerbated by Brexit, Johnson has said a full clean power shift can help lessen the impacts of gas price surges and fluctuations.
“Looking at the progress that we’re making in wind power, where we lead the world now in offshore wind, looking at what we can do with other renewable sources, carbon capture and storage with hydrogen potentially, we think we can get to complete clean energy production by 2035,” said Johnson in a broadcast interview.
“[100% green power] will mean that for the first time the UK is not dependent on hydrocarbons, coming from overseas, with all the vagaries in hydrocarbon prices and the risks that poses for people’s pockets and for the consumer,” he adds.
The UK is set to play host to the crucial UN climate change summit COP26 next month in Glasgow. While the country has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 78% by 2035, a recent report by policy-analyst Climate Action Tracker (CAT) has found that Britain’s policies in practice are not on track to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals.
In 2020, 43% of the UK’s electricity generation comes from renewable sources but fossil fuel-power power plants, including nuclear power, remain a significant player in national energy production.
Earlier this year, 10 Downing Street announced plans to ban all new fossil fuel vehicles by 2030 in its transport decarbonisation strategy, and Johnson hopes to replicate that with the UK energy grid.
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