Comment on National Grid Future Energy Scenarios

Commenting on National Grid’s Future Energy Scenarios report, Richard Black, director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said:

“In several areas, National Grid is suggesting a rationale for going further and faster than either the Road to Zero transport strategy or the National Infrastructure Commission laid out in the last few days.

“According to Grid, 70% of homes ought to be at EPC Class C insulation standards by 2030 – currently we’re under 30%. Half of electric vehicle chargers should be smart by 2024. And shale gas development works against, not for, achieving carbon targets.

“And under all scenarios, there’s a significant build-out of small-scale distributed renewable generation – something that currently, government policy is working against.

“So there are some key milestones here that ministers could usefully be internalising as they develop new policies to get back on track for the 2025 and 2030 carbon targets, for which currently, largely through inaction in the transport and housing sectors, government is off track.”