Commenting on the Committee on Climate Change’s Net Zero report, David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association says:
“We back the CCC’s advice that to move beyond an 80% target and deliver net zero emissions by 2050, low-carbon hydrogen will be an absolute necessity within our energy system. We echo their calls for carbon, capture, usage and technology to be deployed at scale and quickly, as it is essential to the development of a hydrogen economy. Energy networks will be at the heart of this transition.
“There will be no silver bullet to reaching net zero, with energy networks leading innovation needed across major sectors of the economy including heating, power and transportation. Given the vital role that gas networks have to play in decarbonising heat, we believe the public should be allowed to benefit from new technologies such as smart hybrid heating systems and that new homes should continue to be connected to the gas grid. Already, homes right across the UK are receiving low-carbon green gas, with the Government committed to increasing this.
To ensure the networks can help deliver this while keeping costs low for the public, our policy and regulatory framework must be closely aligned.”
About us
Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the industry body representing the energy networks. Our members include every major electricity network operator in the UK. The electricity networks are at the heart of the energy transition. They directly employ more than 26,000 people in the UK, including 1,500 apprentices. They are spending and investing £33bn in our electricity grids over the coming years, to ensure safe, reliable and secure energy supplies for the millions of homes and businesses reliant on power every day.
Press contacts
You can contact ENA's press office by emailing press@energynetworks.org. For urgent or out-of-hours enquiries from journalists, please call 0204 599 7691.