Britain's Conservative government has been accused of reneging on a number of climate promises in recent months, with the solar energy industry hit hardest. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is following in his predecessor's footsteps by introducing restrictions on the development of new solar energy in the UK, which could result in the country relying on energy imports from abroad to meet growing demand for renewable energy and its to ensure energy security.
In a speech in September, Sunak acknowledged the huge gap in Britain's climate policy. This comes at a time when government plans to renew action on climate change are emerging.
In 2019, the Conservative government passed legislation aiming to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Suna assured the public that this goal has not changed, but the means to achieve it have changed. He said the government would “ease the transition to electric vehicles” by changing the ban on sales of petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035. He also said he would have “more time to switch to heat pumps.” “Means a delay in phasing out gas boilers. He also rejected a levy on the abandonment of air transport and announced that plans for a new scrapping program would be reconsidered.
Climate scientists and environmental experts responded to Sunak's speech by saying the move would cost consumers more in the long run and could threaten Britain's global leadership on climate change. Environmental groups are likely to challenge the decision to water down climate pledges in court, as the government is required by law to explain in detail how it plans to achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2050, with clear carbon budgets for multiple sectors . Responding to criticism, Sunak said delaying environmental regulations could save British families thousands of pounds. However, they seem to ignore the potential consequences of this delay for climate change.
The latest source of clean energy to be attacked by the Conservative government is solar energy. This month Sunake announced plans to restrict the installation of solar panels on British farmland. Plans to block solar projects were originally proposed under Liz Truss, and media sources claim Suna and Environment Secretary Theresa Coffey have revived plans to restrict the use of solar panels.
Greg Smith, MP for Buckingham, who has long opposed the installation of solar panels on farmland, is the author of the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). He said : "This is a clear and direct guarantee that planning authorities across the region can say that the development of these agricultural lands will not affect our food security in this region, or that this is here and therefore will be used." “This is a valid reason to reject the application.” Coffey said a review of the NPPF would begin later this year. Environmental experts say expanding solar power capacity in the UK will help reduce the impact of climate change, which will be particularly devastating to British agriculture. Many farmers now believe that when used correctly, food and energy security can go hand in hand . Agricultural land.
Alethea Warrington, campaigns director at Climate Charity Sustainable, said: “The idea that solar energy could destroy Britain’s food security is completely wrong. Solar generated more than 8% of our electricity this spring, but golf courses take up less land than a golf course." It's part of a broader wave of state energy policy that includes lifting blockades on onshore wind farms, a shift away from the new use of offshore -Wind energy and efforts to promote high-risk new oil drilling.”
Despite being one of the world's leaders in wind energy, the UK is lagging behind in its plans to develop solar power capacity. In September, an article in the Daily Telegraph reported that Britain plans to import electricity from Egyptian solar farms and wind turbines. This requires the laying of a submarine cable connecting Egypt with Europe. Rystad, the project manager, said : “Europe’s demand for low-carbon electricity will increase significantly over the next three years. Creating infrastructure in Europe may not be enough, so we need to look for other sources.”
While foreign energy sources can provide the green energy the UK needs to support the green energy transition, it is difficult to ignore the barriers Suna poses to the development of domestic green energy sources. The solar industry is just the latest renewable energy sector to face cuts from the Conservative government. The move will lead to long-term dependence on fossil fuels, increase energy costs and force the UK to meet its climate commitments. .
Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
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