Next government must accelerate the energy transition: RenewableUK
RenewableUK have published a pre-election manifesto in which their calls for a future government to promote clean energy are supported by a recent poll of more than 10,000 people.
Identifying the next five years – the minimum length the next government are likely to be in power – as critical, RenewableUK are calling for:
- A clear and coordinated plan for delivering our pipeline of renewable energy projects
- An attractive business environment focused on mobilising private investment.
- Efficient frameworks that accelerate deployment of net zero infrastructure.
- Scaled-up supply chains and skills capabilities that match our ambitious targets.
- A secure energy system through forward planning and investment
RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail said: ‘It’s clear that the next general election is going to be dominated by questions about the cost of living crisis, and how the next Government can boost the UK economy after a difficult few years. Fortunately, the transition to clean energy can provide cheap electricity for billpayers, drive investment in new manufacturing, boost the competitiveness of UK businesses and support tens of thousands of jobs across the country. The latest polling shows that voters are well aware of this and that they support it.’
The poll, conducted by Opinium, shows that voters have an appetite for renewables and a confidence that clean energy will have a significant role to play in tackling the cost of living crisis.
36% of those spoken to believe that, when addressing the cost of living crisis, the next government should prioritise electricity prices and heating costs.
When asked if they consider the development of renewable energy to be a significant factor to consider in the future Government’s decisions about energy bills, 70% said it was ‘major factor’ with only 4% not believing it was a factor at all.
75% think renewable energy is a significant factor for the next government to consider in terms of driving economic growth outside London and the south east of England, a figure that grows to 83% among swing voters intending to switch their support from Conservative to Labour.
Dan McGrail said: ‘We have to be honest: rapidly increasing the UK’s clean energy supply won’t be easy, but our manifesto provides a clear path to do this. We’ll have to build renewable energy projects much faster, both onshore and offshore, as well as new infrastructure to support them. We’ll need a forward-thinking and ambitious government to get us there. That government will need to ensure we remain competitive in the global race for skills and supply chains and reform our planning system to enable communities to benefit more from the transition. If we work closely together to get this right, the next five years will see a massive transformation of the UK’s energy system.’
