The National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) has urged the government to adopt a radical approach to decarbonise the GB electricity system by 2030. Its new report, Rapid Decarbonisation of the GB Electricity System, outlines a national mission, like the vaccines task force, emphasising the necessity for government action to deliver clean power.

It sets out six essential elements for the government’s delivery plan to achieve its clean power mission, which should be integral to its Industrial Strategy:

1. Build strong public and industry support for the decarbonisation mission.
2. Strong central leadership and governance framework, led by engineers, accountable to the Prime Minister.
3. Implement a digitally enabled system that allows flexible public engagement, optimising grid operations and reducing costs.
4. Proactive procurement and regulation to ensure the UK can get ahead in the global decarbonisation race.
5. Address difficult decisions on planning, consenting, and connection delays while maintaining public backing.
6. Maintain a long-term perspective to ensure immediate actions do not delay post-2030 goals.

The report emphasises that anticipatory investment is crucial, identifying new grid infrastructure and increased distribution capacity as key priorities for the 2030 mission. To achieve this, the Government will have to make difficult decisions to reduce the time taken to deliver new grid infrastructure and the connect power generation assets. This involves addressing new transmission timelines, planning, grid connection delays, and supply chain issues. Solutions include adding renewable capacity in areas that can accommodate it without new power lines and implementing a proactive supply chain policy with clear signals to investors.

Looking beyond 2030, the NEPC analysis outlines future energy system changes requiring action this decade. These include:

• Achieving progress on hydrogen storage and transmission
• Expanding carbon capture and storage projects as well as related CO2 transport and storage
• Investing heavily in the distribution network to support further electrification of heat and transport
• Expanding generation capacity, including nuclear projects and potentially a broader range of renewables such as tidal energy
• Developing a national engineering and technology workforce strategy to address skill shortages, including the need for an additional 200,000 engineers and technicians working in the energy sector by 2030

President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Professor Sir Jim McDonald GBE FREng FRSE, said: “There is no time to waste in delivering progress towards this crucial aspect of a net zero energy system. Decarbonising electricity production, transmission and utilisation under an accelerated timeline, will not only provide societal benefits through an energy system that is less vulnerable to global disruption, but will also create an economic and competitive opportunity for the UK to lead on the infrastructure, technology and engineering skills that will shape the future.”

For further information and to read the full report, please visit the Royal Academy of Engineering website.