“More investment is needed in South Wales and Western England in order to reach Net Zero.” According to Western Gateway
This report explores the gap between the current energy system demands and the green energy infrastructure currently under construction whilst also suggesting that the area could produce enough green energy in the future to boost supply across the country.
It maps the current energy system across the Western Gateway area and highlights several options which show that it is well placed to export green energy to the rest of the UK.
However, a large level of additional investment in current infrastructure is still required to decarbonise current energy supply. The area faces a number of hurdles, such as a largely gas powered domestic heating system and an increasingly high electricity demand as the area transitions to net zero. For example, a full transition to electric vehicles would double the area’s current demand for electricity.
The main findings include:
Emissions from heating and transport remain a huge challenge to decarbonisation, with most efforts to date focused on the power sector.
Current plans do not reach the scale needed to get to Net Zero by 2030
Western Gateway has the potential to become a net exporter of green energy with expanding renewables, developing hydrogen capability and the prospect of Hinkley Point C providing large amounts of low carbon energy for the area.
The partnership is well position to create a more detailed energy system study at a scale which is useful to energy networks to help understand where money is most needed
Katherine Bennett CBE, Chair of the Western Gateway Partnership, said:
“Our partners are working together through this partnership to tackle climate change head on and are all committed to reaching Net Zero. With leading expertise in fusion energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital industries our area is well placed to be a Green Energy Super Cluster and drive this transition.
“By publishing this report today, we want to help Government and investors to target investment where it is needed most so we can tackle this challenge together. This is only the start of this work.
“Building on these findings, we want to develop further evidence to map out a clear route for how our area can lead the way in decarbonising communities across the UK.”