February 24, 2003

scientists react to the release of the Government’s Energy White Paper

The Science Media Centre asked experts to comment following the publication of the Energy White Paper, promoted by the Government as the “green future for energy”.

Professor Paul Ekins, Head of the Environment Group and Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster, said:

“The energy white paper is right to put cutting greenhouse gases at its heart, and correctly identifies the means to achieve this through its emphasis on energy efficiency and renewables.

“However, it does not set out the actual policies that will be required in this regard. For example, it identifies the generation of 20% of electricity from renewables by 2020 as ‘an ambition’, rather than saying that this target will become part of the renewables obligation.

“Carbon reduction need not be expensive but it will not happen by itself. More policies will be required and until they are in place, we cannot be sure that the admirable vision in the White Paper will be attained.”

David White, a fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, said:

“The deferral of a decision on nuclear replacement means that we need to replace about 25% of our generating capacity with carbon-free sources. Capturing and storing the carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning may represent the only realistic alternative.

“Although sufficient natural gas supplies will be available for the future, the level of dependence leaves the country very vulnerable to price increases, driven by the huge forecasted growth in European gas demand.

“The Institution also questions some technical aspects of the renewables programme, which appears incompatible with the criteria of supply continuity and cost. The cost of wind turbines and the associated infrastructure was underestimated in the PIU report, and there appears to be no recognition that winter peak electricity demand must be met by nuclear and fossil fuel capacity to cope with the times when there is not enough wind.”

Dr Jeremy Leggett, Chief Executive of Solar Century, said:

“The Energy White Paper has wasted a once-in-a -generation opportunity to translate the Government’s pro-renewables rhetoric into concrete steps to deliver ‘a near-zero carbon future’.

“The Government needs to set out clear targets, the practical steps required to achieve them, and then deliver the investment funding that the renewables industry needs.

“It is now vital that the Government climbs off the fence and indicates whether it is willing to support Brian White MP’s Sustainable Energy Private Members Bill which calls for a 25% renewables target by 2020.”

Ian Byrne, Deputy Director of the National Energy Foundation, said:

“We broadly welcome the White Paper, and we are particularly pleased to see that the Government have adopted the Royal Commission for Environmental Pollution target of cutting UK carbon emissions by 60% by 2050.

“However, we do feel that they could have been more innovative in their approach towards energy efficiency. For example, by regarding zero emissions from new homes as the norm and by funding pilot schemes to test the concept.”

Dr Nick Riley, Programme Manager; Sustainable Energy and Geophysical Surveys at the British Geological Survey and a member of several advisory groups including the DTI Power Sector working group, said:

“The White Paper is absolutely right to place the environmental consequences of energy use at the core of energy policy. It endorses the careful work produced by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, which recommended a 60% global reduction in green house gas emissions by the middle of this century in order to hold the atmosphere at current levels.

“The lack of commitment to the build of new nuclear means that the gains provided by investing in renewables (10% by 2010 and 20% by 2020 will be offset by the decommissioning of nuclear plant. There is therefore no net gain in reducing emissions.

“The White Paper therefore commits the UK to at least 80% dependency on fossil fuels, with any of our existing coal fired power plants also being decommissioned due to EU environmental legislation which will apply by 2015.

“Therefore the only way carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced is through energy efficiency gains (at point of generation and point of use) and by capture of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels. This will be against a backdrop of economic growth and likely rising energy demand. I welcome the commitment announced in the White Paper for the DTI to plan a carbon dioxide capture and storage demonstration plan over the next 6 months.

“Increasing dependency on imported energy means that we need to maintain diverse supplies. In the near term there is concern about over-dependency on gas imports. These risks can be offset by sourcing gas not only from natural gas producing countries, but also by manufacturing gas from coal. Using carbon dioxide by injecting it into hydrocarbon fields will enhance oil and gas production, as well as provide a route to sequestering carbon dioxide.

“Fossil fuels are the main source of hydrogen today and are likely to be so in the first half of this century. The carbon-hydrogen bond is much easier to break than the oxygen hydrogen one. Hydrogen production from coal and natural gas aligns well with pre-combustion carbon dioxide capture.”