The recommendations from the CCC, which sets legally binding carbon budgets and advises the government on how to reach them are wide ranging, and have urged a step change in government policy if future carbon budgets are to be met.
A cleaner, greener country, playing meeting it global, European and domestic targets is both possible and affordable, says the Climate Change Committee, but only if the government acts immediately to implement radical policies on energy efficiency and low carbon technologies, as well as dealing with the threat of the recession to carbon trading schemes.
A cleaner, greener country, playing meeting it global, European and domestic targets is both possible and affordable, says the Climate Change Committee, but only if the government acts immediately to implement radical policies on energy efficiency and low carbon technologies, as well as dealing with the threat of the recession to carbon trading schemes.
A overview of some of the key recommendations:
• Market rules – investment in low-carbon generation is risky under
current market arrangements. The CCC strongly recommends that
Government undertakes a near-term review of options to improve
the investment climate for low-carbon power generation.
• Support for CCS – the Government needs to send a strong signal
to investors that there is no future in using conventional coal-fired
plants beyond the early 2020s. As part of the framework to support
CCS development, there should be a review of economic viability
and appropriate financial support mechanisms should be in place
no later than 2016.
• Strengthening the grid – investment in the power transmission
network is required to support investment in new wind and nuclear
capacity. Approval of necessary investments is required at the latest
by 2011.
• Whole house approach – every household would be provided with
an energy audit followed up by hassle free help with installing loft and
cavity wall insulation, replacing boilers and installing heating controls.
• Street by street approach – energy efficiency of buildings would
be addressed street by street, area by area across the UK, much as the
switch over to natural gas was achieved in the 1970s.
Improving the efficiency of petrol/diesel powered cars
• Currently new cars emit around 160 gCO2/km travelled. This should
be reduced to 95 g/km in 2020 through more fuel efficient and lowcarbon
cars. If this is achieved, emissions could fall by 16 MtCO2
in 2020.
Widespread roll-out of electric cars
• The Government should aim for up to 1.7 million electric cars and
plug in hybrids on the road in 2020.
• Electric cars are market ready and there is scope for reducing the cost
of their batteries by 70% which would mean that they could in fact
be priced competitively with conventional cars.
• The Government has offered price support up to £5,000 per car,
which should be enough to offset the cost premium of many
electric cars.
• The typical range for electric cars is around 80 miles, possibly
increasing to 250 miles as battery technology develops. This is
currently sufficient to cover the vast majority of trips.
• A charging infrastructure should be developed including: off-street
home charging; on-street home charging; workplace charging;
charging in public places (e.g. car parks, supermarkets); and possibly
battery exchanges.
• This infrastructure should be developed in the context of pilot
projects to exploit economies of scale and target up to 240,000
electric cars and plug-in hybrids on the road by 2015; funding costs
for pilot charging infrastructure could be up to £250 million.
increasing to 250 miles as battery technology develops. This is
currently sufficient to cover the vast majority of trips.
• A charging infrastructure should be developed including: off-street
home charging; on-street home charging; workplace charging;
charging in public places (e.g. car parks, supermarkets); and possibly
battery exchanges.
• This infrastructure should be developed in the context of pilot
projects to exploit economies of scale and target up to 240,000
electric cars and plug-in hybrids on the road by 2015; funding costs
for pilot charging infrastructure could be up to £250 million.
