U.K. Climate Goals Impossible, Says Institute of Mechanical Engineers

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.K. government may have promised a faster planning process for new windfarms and nuclear plants, but it will very much fail in meeting established emissions-reduction targets, according to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) (London).

Just a few weeks before the crucial Copenhagen summit on climate change, IMEChE has said that the targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that were set by the government's 2008 Climate Change Act are not possible. The government is aiming to reduce emissions from 1990 levels by 34% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050. According to the group's report 'Climate Change: Have we lost the battle?,' the U.K. will need to build and operate 27,000 wind turbines by 2030 and a further 13,000 by 2050 to meet these targets. Currently, only about 2,600 turbines are in operation in the U.K.

To get close to the targets laid down by the Act, the U.K. needs to become as carbon efficient as nuclear-heavy France in an impossibly short period of time. The group claims that 30 new nuclear plants will need to be built by 2015 but, as it stands, the U.K. has revealed plans to build only 10 new plants, the first of which will not come online until 2018. For additional information, see related news item from November 11, 2009 - U.K. to Build 10 New Nuclear Power Plants by 2025.

At the same time, the Institute said that the U.K. will need to retire a similar amount of coal-fired plants to reduce emissions. "Even with our best intentions, the U.K. will not reach its 2050 emissions target until 2100 or beyond unless we radically rethink the way in which we approach climate change policy," said Dr. Tim Fox, head of environment and climate change at IMechE.

The U.K. wind energy market is one of the most robust in Europe, recently passing the 4-gigawatt (GW) mark and on target to surpass nuclear power by 2012. However, the wind sector has been plagued by an uneven and slow planning process at a local level, causing many windfarms to be delayed by years. In 2009, planning permission for new windfarms dropped to a new low of just 25% of applications, compared to an approval rating of 67% in 2007. The British Wind Energy Association has said that the planning process for wind projects is 'broken.' For additional information, see related news item from October 27, 2009 - U.K. Wind Power Breezes Past 4-Gigawatt Barrier.

The government promised to address the planning issue in one of its National Policy Statements, which address the key energy sectors. Some groups are less confident about the resolution of the issue. According to the Renewable Energy Association: "The National Policy Statements won't make much difference when it comes to renewable power projects. Local authorities will still determine the vast majority of project decisions, and that regime is crying out to be made more consistent and efficient."

In order to increase the speed of the approval process, some wind energy companies have banded together to improve their chances of getting approval for wind projects. This week, the Forth and Tay Offshore Wind Working Group announced plans to accelerate the delivery of 2,470 megawatts of wind energy from projects in the outer Forth and Tay areas of Scotland's east coast. The windfarms are proposed for a location at least 10 kilometres from shore in an area covering approximately 475 square kilometres.

The four projects, from north to south, are:

• Inch Cape, a 905-MW project, awarded to RWE Npower Renewables Limited and SeaEnergy Renewables Limited (Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm Limited)
• Bell Rock, a 700-MW project, Airtricity Holdings UK Limited and Fluor Limited
• Neart na Gaoithe, a 450-MW project, Mainstream Renewable Power Limited
• Forth Array, a 415-MW project, Fred Olsen Renewables Limited

The group hopes to ensure that the projects, which are undergoing the Strategic Environmental Assessment, have an easier time obtaining planning permission by drumming up local support and dealing with environmental concerns

"The Forth and Tay projects match the ambitions of government and developers with the ongoing challenge to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change," said Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables Niall Stuart. "Careful liaison with all stakeholders will be critical as the renewables industry develops offshore and this event moves that collaborative work further forward. The prize of new jobs and economic growth while we are tackling climate change will be a big benefit to Scotland and many of its coastal communities in the years ahead."

According to the group, the projects could be constructed and commissioned between 2014 and 2018 and generate enough renewable energy to supply about 1.8 million homes, while offsetting the release of a million tons of carbon dioxide each year.

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