Are green plans enough to hit net zero by 2050?

The government’s new net zero plan unveiled last week may not be sufficient to meet its climate target by 2050 said Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox.

He was commenting on the ‘Powering up Britain’ strategy which politicians had been forced to publish after the High Court judged last July that its current plan was not detailed enough to show how the UK would meet its goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero.

“There are some sensible moves to help cut our carbon dioxide output,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd, “but some important decisions were missed out which could mean the UK not hitting this important milestone in 27 years’ time.”

Key decisions include:

• The UK’s first carbon capture site will be built in Teesside which will enable carbon dioxide (CO2) produced during the burning of fossil fuels such as gas, to be stored in deep caverns under the North Sea. The CO2 is chemically captured, piped offshore, injected into porous rocks and then trapped beneath a layer of impermeable rock. It is hoped this will create new jobs and remove up to 50 per cent of those emissions.
• From next year motor manufacturers must ensure that 22 per cent of their sales are electric vehicles. This figure will rise to 28 per cent in 2025, 80 per cent in 2030 and 100 per cent in 2035. Hybrid vehicles will be given a stay of execution until they are banned from 2035 and the government has renewed its commitment to stop the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
• The installation of new gas boilers will be phased out by 2035 and householders will be encouraged to replace them with electric heat pumps. Under the government’s boiler upgrade scheme, which runs until 2028, residents will be offered £5,000 to replace a boiler with a £10,000 air-source heat pump or £6,000 for a £15,000 ground-source heat pump.
• With “green levies” of about £119 a year on electricity bills these could be moved on to gas bills from next April to encourage consumers to switch. At present the green levy on gas bills are on average £33 a year.
• On air travel, ministers have begun a consultation to force airlines to mix sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with regular jet fuel which could reduce planes’ greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent.

“I have a number of concerns about the strategy,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park.

“Firstly, whether carbon capture plans would allow the UK to keep using oil and gas rather than focusing on renewable energy.

“Secondly, there is no significant increase in funding for home insulation. This is one of the most effective ways to bring down energy consumption for heating and therefore CO2 harmful gases, as heating in homes accounts for 14 per cent of the UK’s total emissions.

“Thirdly, although 22 per cent of new cars must be electric, there was no mention of how to increase the present 38,000 public charge points in order to hit the target of 300,000 by 2030.”

If you want any advice on green energy solutions, or reducing your heating bills contact Ron on 0845 474 6641.

Caption: Stepping off the gas – the installation of new gas boilers will be phased out by 2035.