Further investment is needed across South Wales and the South West of England if carbon emission net zero targets are to be achieved, says a new report. Research by the Western Gateway Partnership says significant additional investment in current infrastructure is required to decarbonise energy supplies..
It lays bare the gap between the current energy system demands and the green energy infrastructure currently under construction, while also suggesting that the area could produce enough green energy in the future to boost supply across the country.
The UK and Welsh governments, and councils across the Western Gateway Partnership area, have targets to decarbonise their respective economies by 2050 or before. The partnership, which doesn't have any statutory powers, consists of local authorities, businesses and academia from Swansea to Swindon.
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The Western Gateway area faces a number of hurdles, such as a largely gas-powered domestic heating system and an increasingly high electricity demand as the area transitions to net zero. A full transition to electric vehicles would double the area’s current demand for electricity, for example.
Despite this, the report maps the current energy system across the Western Gateway area and highlights several options which are well placed to export green energy to the rest of the UK. This includes the potential to produce low carbon hydrogen to store energy, grow renewable capabilities across the area and the development of Hinkley Point C as a major low carbon energy source.
The Western Gateway is a pan-regional and cross-border partnership that encourages collaboration between businesses, academia and government. The study was carried out by the Supergen Energy Networks (SEN) Hub and funded by the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council.
The report was unveiled by Professor Phil Taylor, Pro Vice Chancellor of Research and Enterprise at the University of Bristol, at a Western Gateway fringe event at the Conservative Party conference. Professor Taylor was recently appointed by Sir Patrick Vallance to the UK Government Net Zero Innovation Board and chairs the board of the GW4 Universities.
He said: "The UK has legally binding greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Councils across the UK have also responded to climate change by introducing their own net zero targets.
"By coming together as a wider partnership, the Western Gateway is well positioned to work strategically with the wide range of energy systems stakeholders necessary to reach these goals. I hope this report will help public authorities, governments, businesses, investors and researchers to plan and develop a greener future."
Local authorities across south Wales and western England have committed to reaching net zero to tackle climate change, with ambitious projects planned across South Wales and Western England. As part of the Western Gateway Partnership, they are working together with business and research to call for greater investment and promote the area on a global stage.
Chair of the Western Gateway Partnership, Katherine Bennett, said: "Our partners are working together through this partnership to tackle climate change head on and are all committed to reaching net zero. With leading expertise in fusion energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital industries our area is well placed to be a green energy super cluster and drive this transition.
"By publishing this report we want to help government and investors to target investment where it is needed most so we can tackle this challenge together. This is only the start of this work."
She added: "Building on these findings, we want to develop further evidence to map out a clear route for how our area can lead the way in decarbonising communities across the UK.”
Cllr Toby Savage, vice chair of the Western Gateway Partnership and leader of South Gloucestershire council, said: “As a local authority leader this report is useful in helping to understand the challenges we all face as we try to decarbonise our economies to reach net zero carbon emissions.
“Through the Western Gateway Partnership, South Wales and Western England are working together to find new ways to tackle these challenges. We are promoting investment in hydrogen research, production and use through our hydrogen ecosystem and exploring sustainable energy options in the Severn Estuary.
“This study demonstrates the challenges we all face and is a key part of providing the evidence to make sure we can reach our targets."
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