New green technologies must be deployed for the 海角视频 to meet its climate targets despite renewables generating more power than fossil fuels for the first time, a new report has warned.
Independent analysis conducted by academics from Imperial College London for Drax Electric Insights, shows the 海角视频 will require a range of new green technologies, which complement renewables like wind and solar, as part of its efforts to meet its national climate goals.
While power from renewables overtook fossil fuels in 2020 – and carbon emissions fell by 16 per cent year-on-year, this was in a large part due to reduced demand caused by Covid lockdowns, when gas and coal power stations were turned down.
Wind and solar generated 30 per cent of Britain’s electricity – around half the share required by 2025 for the 海角视频 to reach its climate targets according to the Climate Change Committee.
Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London, and lead author of the quarterly Electric Insights report, said: “2020 saw Britain edge closer to the power system of the future with renewables generating more power than fossil fuels. Flexible technologies like pumped hydro storage kept the system stable as supply from renewables increased and demand for power fell.
“The next steps we must take towards a net zero power system will be more challenging – driving out the last sources of fossil carbon will require us to go beyond just having more wind and solar power. New business models, backed by policy and investment, will be needed to bring advanced-but-proven technologies into the mainstream.
“This means that the electricity used in homes, hospitals, offices and factories could even be carbon negative – sourced from a range of low, zero carbon and negative emissions technologies.”
Last year, found that deploying cutting edge green technologies like BECCS and hydrogen could create and support around 200,000 jobs across the 海角视频 to support a post-covid, green economic recovery.
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Will Gardiner, Drax Group chief executive, said: “Drax is Europe’s largest decarbonisation project having transformed Britain’s biggest power station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, creating the country’s largest single-site renewable electricity generator whilst supporting thousands of jobs.
“Biomass is unique amongst renewable technologies due to its versatility, from being used in power generation to hydrogen production – and even new forms of plastics. Add to this its ability to deliver negative emissions with BECCS – biomass is one of our most valuable tools for reaching net zero emissions – a technology Drax is ready to invest in.”
It is also a founder partner in Zero Carbon Humber, with a plan for a dual hydrogen and carbon capture pipeline to take in major industrial clusters.