Green energy is to receive a boost in the U.K. though a scheme funded by the government in supporting city and local authorities to run green projects, according to the Guardian.
The news comes just days after wind power set a record-low strike price in the Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction.
The proposed green energy scheme would be a significant forward investment for renewables in the U.K. Reports suggest that ministers will offer up to £3 million to aid local leaders in building towards a carbon-free Britain, incentivizing the uptake and installation of solar panels on social housing, for example.
The aid comes at a time when more than 70 U.K. city councils have stated that they indeed had bold clean energy project ambitions, but were afraid that their plans would not receive adequate support of funding to bring to fruition.
Judith Blake, leader of Leeds city council, and John Holdich, leader of Peterborough city council told the Guardian that more could be done by government to help British cities reduce their carbon footprint.
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“We believe the U.K. has a great opportunity to lead the world in an early shift to a fossil-fuel-free economy, just as we have led the world in previous industrial transitions,” Holdich said.
Earlier this week offshore wind power became one of the cheapest energy sources in the U.K., costing less than both nuclear and gas, following the second CfD round that saw two developers win the rights to build projects for just £57.50/MWh ($75.83/MWh) subsidy. This strike price, achieved by Denmark’s Dong Energy and Spain’s EDP, is 50% below the guaranteed development price for offshore wind set just two years ago, and is far cheaper than the £92.50/MWh agreed between the government and EDF for the nuclear power station at Hinckley Point.
“The offshore wind sector alone will invest £17.5bn in the U.K. up to 2021 and thousands of new jobs in British businesses will be created by the projects announced today,” said Richard Harrington, the minister for energy and industry at BEIS. “This government will continue to seize these opportunities as the world moves towards a low carbon future, and will set out ambitious proposals in the upcoming Clean Growth Plan.”
Author: Frederic Brown
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