The UK can build transition lines in half the time it now takes as it pushes to speed up the decarbonization of its power supply, the government’s top energy adviser says in a report delivered Friday.
Author of the article:
Bloomberg News
Ellie Harmsworth
Published Aug 03, 2023 • 2 minute read
Electricity transmission pylons next to a block of residential apartments in St Neots, UK, on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. UK power prices for Monday jumped to record levels as freezing temperatures are set to cause a surge in demand, just as a drop in wind generation causes a supply crunch. Photo by Chris Ratcliffe /Bloomberg
(Bloomberg) — The UK can build transition lines in half the time it now takes as it pushes to speed up the decarbonization of its power supply, the government’s top energy adviser says in a report delivered Friday.
Electricity transmission line construction can be cut to 7 years from 14 years, says the report from Electricity Networks Commissioner Nick Winser, which highlights the inordinate length of time it takes to build critical infrastructure needed to address mounting pressure on the grid.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by Kevin Carmichael, Victoria Wells, Jake Edmiston, Gabriel Friedman and others. Daily content from Financial Times, the world’s leading global business publication. Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by Kevin Carmichael, Victoria Wells, Jake Edmiston, Gabriel Friedman and others. Daily content from Financial Times, the world’s leading global business publication. Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors.
Article content
Hooking up new sources of green power, switching to heat pumps and using more electric cars will keep adding pressure on the grid to meet demand for electricity. However, electricity transmission lines, which are crucial in connecting new sites of renewable energy to the grid, have been taking double the time to build it takes to construct a large wind farm.
“The implications of being able to build wind generation faster than the associated connections to customers will be serious: very high congestion costs for customers, and clean, cheap domestic energy generation standing idle, potentially for years,” Winser said.
Read more: UK Power Grid Will Boot Slow Projects From Connections Queue
Winser’s report outlines 18 recommendations, including putting some planning duties under the system operator, allowing more profit for transmission operators if they deliver on time and within cost and streamlining the approval process.
The report also recommends expanding the supply chain, improving the skills of workers and educating local communities about why a more reliable grid is needed.
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
“There is no time to waste. Implementing the proposals and progressing the energy transition at pace is the surest route to more affordable bills, greater energy resilience and a more energy-independent UK,” said Carl Trowell, president of UK Strategic Infrastructure at National Grid Plc.
About 220 projects are due to connect to the transmission system by 2026, representing about 40 gigawatts of capacity, according to the system operator. However, only half have planning permission and some have moved connection dates back by as many as 14 years. This gratuitous wait time compounds the already glacial pace of planning application processes for renewable energy sources.
European leaders promised to scale up the continent’s renewable-power capacity while reducing imports of Russian gas, but words move faster than permits. Builders say fast-tracking the energy transition means unraveling red tape and reconciling lofty, national climate ambitions with the limited capacity of most local authorities to implement them.
—With assistance from Todd Gillespie.
Article content
>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Financial Post – https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/uk-can-build-new-power-lines-in-half-the-time-top-adviser-says
