The Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) has launched two new missions outlining how the UK can achieve net zero.
The trade association has published two statements, entitled “Empowering Energy Demand” and “Decarbonising British Heat”. Each mission statement calls on the new UK government to make changes in these specific areas in order to reach the nation’s decarbonisation goals.
“Empowering Energy Demand” demands that the government to make urgent changes to further the decarbonisation of industrial systems by harnessing the power of clean technologies and a flexible grid, stating “We are asking the Government to ensure that they are a core part of Clean Energy by 2030, the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements and the establishment of the National Energy System Operator.”
Meanwhile, “Decarbonising British Heat” calls on leaders to further the rollout of heat network infrastructure, invest in energy from waste, and explore heat capture from disused mines and data centres. Here, the ADE notes: “Heat decarbonisation is not just key to meeting our legally binding targets, it will support us to a lower cost pathway for energy decarbonisation overall – providing flexibility and thermal storage for the public benefit.”
The ADE’s CEO, Caroline Bragg, said: “The new government has set out ambitious plans for electricity capacity. But nowhere near enough is being done on the demand side. If we don’t act now, we may see an electricity system that struggles to cope, industrial investment in decarbonisation goes elsewhere and we’ll miss the opportunity to use heat decarbonisation to drive economic growth in our local areas.
“That’s why we’re launching our two new missions ‘Empowering Energy Demand’ and ‘Decarbonising British Heat’ to ensure these crucial parts of our energy system get the political attention they deserve. The ADE and our members are ready to chart the way and we look forward to working with the government to bring urgency and resolve to these important opportunities for the UK”.
The mission board
The UK government, for its part, appears to be taking decarbonisation seriously, with the launch of its new Mission Board dedicated to accelerating the UK’s net zero progress.
The board, chaired by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, met for the first time on 31 July, discussing the aims and ambitions of the intative. The Mission Board will be complemented by the UK government’s Mission Control, a new decarbonization body led by Chris Stark, the former chief executive of the Climate Change Committee (CCC).
