Net zero by 2050

The UK has set a world-leading target to tackle climate change, which is to achieve net zero by 2050. Put simply, this means that we will remove the same amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere as we produce. As a country we are already making progress. The UK has the largest offshore wind capacity in the world, with some 13.6 GW in operation.

Recent years have been record-breaking for renewable energy. Summer 2020 saw the longest run since before the industrial revolution without burning coal, stretching almost 68 days. Solar power set new records with 9.9 GW of power being produced in April 2021. In January 2023, wind power generated more than it ever has with 21.6 GW contributing to meeting our energy needs.

But more needs to be done. Significant upgrades to our energy infrastructure are needed to deliver clean green energy from where it is generated to where it is needed.

Offshore wind

The UK has the largest offshore wind capacity in the world. Increasing the amount of energy generated from offshore wind is a key part of achieving net zero. The British Energy Security Strategy sets an ambitious target to deliver 50 GW of offshore wind connected to the network by 2030 – more than enough to power every home in the UK.

The North Humber to High Marnham upgrade needs to be in place before proposed new offshore wind and interconnectors can connect to the network, with several expected to be operational around the end of this decade.
 

Government policy

In 2022, the UK Government raised the ambition for offshore wind to 50 GW by 2030. The Climate Change Committee anticipate that electricity demand will at least double by 2050 as we shift to clean energy to drive electric vehicles, heat our homes and power our industry. Published in December 2020, the Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget recommends deployment of renewables at scale, including the deployment of up to 140 GW of offshore wind by 2050, raising further opportunity for growth and job creation. 

As well as helping to reach net zero, growth in offshore wind offers significant opportunities for economic growth and job creation. Government suggests that investment in onshore network infrastructure could support up to 130,000 jobs and contribute an estimated £4-11bn of GVA (gross value added) to Great Britain’s economy in 2050. By 2050, our own analysis indicates that the entire energy sector needs to fill around 400,000 jobs to build the net zero energy workforce.

Our proposals for North Humber to High Marnham are part of The Great Grid Upgrade, helping the UK switch to cheaper, cleaner and more secure sources of energy.