We fully support the overall narrative laid out in the UK government’s clean power 2030 plan that a renewable-led, clean power system will improve energy security, bringing stability to energy costs and be the basis for jobs and wealth creation.

Our Energy Transition Director, Andrew Lever explains why:

We are in a race against time to achieve these ambitious 2030 targets. The scaling of renewables requires a step change in previous levels of deployment, but this alone is not enough. This is the first time the UK government has articulated the elements needed across the whole system in one plan.

A vital ingredient in achieving the targets will be coordination. The challenge we have is that all of this must happen at once; renewable build out, grid expansion, planning and consenting, market reform and supply chain development. Therefore communication, collaboration and most importantly coordination will be key to success.

The Carbon Trust is an advocate of taking a whole systems approach to the transition. With Clean Power 2030, this whole systems approach must go beyond the technical integration of generation, infrastructure and demand to also include coordination across society, markets, regulation, industry and finance.

This action plan is not unique to the UK and every country around the world will need to transition to a renewable-led clean energy system. The UK government took a defining decision to back offshore wind, which enabled the UK to secure a leadership position, this plan could be a watershed moment for cementing the UK’s position as a global climate leader in the clean energy transition.