As net zero has become increasingly polarising, the UK’s pursuit of carbon neutrality must be adapted to match both public demand and market forces. UK net zero ambitions are still in place and legislated into law. The Climate Change Act 2008 was amended in 2019 to legally bind the government to reaching a 100% reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. However, there is loud disillusionment around net zero in sections of media and politics.
Damage to the reputation of net zero is so successful there have been calls for ‘net zero’ to be dropped from the title of ‘Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’.
Instead, the UK’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reconfirmed his support for net zero aims by introducing a new People’s Power project. This £30 million scheme will focus on implementing community based renewable energy. The investment stems from Great British Energy, a publicly owned company created by the UK government to invest in local clean energy projects.
Additionally, Burnham has announced the creation of Great British Grid, a publicly owned company designed to bring energy costs in line with Europe inside 10 years. Great British Grid will apply pressured competition for renewable grid connection projects.
In a recent newspaper article Burnham wrote: “Every council and community group awarded funding will have at least part-ownership in its renewable energy projects. That means, in the years ahead, more and more communities in Britain will do more than simply host solar panels and wind turbines. They will own a stake in them and retain a share of the wealth they create.”
Burnham has seen past success in rejuvenating Manchester’s public transport system during his time as Mayor of the city. Control of buses and trams was handed over to a central system, fares were capped and free transport was issued to the young and old.
Despite being centrally controlled, the public benefits from having all financial proceeds being placed back into the transport network with the aim of upholding steady and cost-effective public service standards.
Although a positive step towards clean power introduction to UK communities, it remains to be seen if the same public friendly approach to local transport can be used in local clean energy provision or domestic fuel policy and if this approach aligns with current public and media support.
It appears that Burnham is pivoting away from free market conditions to a more flexible approach. From an objective view, the free market conditions under which water and rail companies operate have not produced cost-effective and adequate public services.
There are many obstacles that Burnham will have to confront in his attempt to introduce community renewable energy projects. Great British Energy has been created to introduce renewables only.
No oil, gas or electricity will be dispersed by Great British Energy, meaning that solar and wind will be prioritised. This may provide a level of dissent from homeowners who prefer to keep landscapes untarnished from solar PV modules and wind turbines.
As net zero has been demonised by some sections of the mainstream media, Burnham has been forced to apply a vaguely populist approach to UK decarbonisation. This is evident in the recent range of modifications to Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), which give landlords and building owners more time to make the changes. All three new regulations combine to create a version of net zero that is thoughtful in respect to the financial implications of these changes on landlords and renters. They also imply a change of direction, with the government prioritising fiscal equilibrium over an aggressive form of decarbonisation.
The reasons for this could be seen as political, as a new government attempts to mould a supportive public image. Burnham remains an advocate of net zero, but it has also been recognised that imposing economic commitments to the wider public could risk the near abolishment of carbon-reducing aims that are enshrined in UK domestic and international law.
This is why the current government is applying a new approach. Burnham will continue to assert net zero values, but it remains to be seen if a more flexible application of UK decarbonisation will be successful. www.rinnai-uk.co.uk