Commenting on the publication of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC)’s response to the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, Energy Networks Association (ENA) CEO David Smith says:
“We strongly welcome the recognition that the CCC gives to the continued role for gas networks in the decarbonisation of our economy, and their enduring role in home heating to 2030 and beyond. Through investment under the RIIO price control system, carbon reduction and CCS projects across the country, our gas networks are at the very forefront of finding new and innovative ways to decarbonise heat and transport.
“Given our power, heat, transport and waste sectors are all interdependent, so must be the solutions to their decarbonisation. What is important now is that the Government takes the opportunity to develop a Whole System Approach to utilising our gas and electricity networks working together to fill the gaps in policy that the CCC has highlighted.”
Notes to editor
- ENA represents the companies that operate and maintain the gas and electricity grid network in the UK and Ireland. Serving over 30 million customers, they are responsible for the transmission and distribution network of “wires and pipes” that keep our lights on, our homes warm and our businesses running.
- In its assessment of the BEIS Clean Growth Strategy, the CCC states that “the Strategy’s high electrification scenario highlights the possibility that a large proportion of heat demand for buildings could be met through low-carbon electricity, predominantly via heat pumps…..Deployment of 2.5 million heat pumps by 2030 is likely to be the minimum necessary to develop markets and supply chains sufficiently for accelerated roll-out after this point. In our scenarios, these 2.5 million are split evenly between properties off the gas grid and new-build properties”.
- Under this scenario the CCC are saying under a high-electrification scenario 2.5million heat pumps would be the minimum required to meet carbon targets and that these will for off-grid and new properties – i.e. not for existing homes connected to the gas network.
- ENA’s full response to the Clean Growth Strategy can be found online at http://www.energynetworks.org/assets/files/FINAL%2020171221%20Clean%20Growth%20Strategy%20v6.pdf
- The CCC’s assessment of the Strategy can be found online at https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/CCC-Independent-Assessment-of-UKs-Clean-Growth-Strategy-2018.pdf
- The Government’s Clean Growth Strategy can be found online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-growth-strategy
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.
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