A new report claims that the UK could meet its 2020 carbon reduction targets at a lower cost by building new nuclear plants and gas-fired power stations instead of wind farms, but the report has met strong criticism.

The study, published by AF Consult and picked up by the Sunday Times newspaper, says that opting for new nuclear and gas would be £45 billion (€54 billion) cheaper than wind farms, despite the fact that in reality new nuclear power plants take years to build and gas prices are pushing up energy prices. The UK government said recently that average bills rose by €537 between 2004 and 2011 and 64 % of that increase was down to rises in gas prices. Meanwhile, just 6.5% of the increase was attributed to support for renewable energy.

Wind energy has made headlines in the UK this week with the Guardian reporting that the views of some Members of Parliament could scupper billions of pounds of investment and the creation of hundreds of new jobs in wind energy.

The paper reports that “billions of pounds’ worth of investment in Britain’s energy infrastructure is on hold or uncertain because of concerns over the government’s commitment to wind energy.” Leading energy companies surveyed by the Guardian with plans to set up factories, research facilities and other developments have said they need reassurance on the UK government’s commitment to wind energy before they go ahead.

Renewable energy could meet almost all of the UK’s electricity needs by 2030, a new report published by WWF has found. Between 60-90% of the UK’s electricity demand could be covered by wind, solar, tidal and other renewable power sources, with a firm renewable energy target for 2030 in place, WWF said.

The report added that renewables can decarbonise the UK’s power sector without resorting to new nuclear power.

By Jonathan Pyke, RenewableUK

It’s an oft-repeated fact that while the majority of people in the UK support renewable energy, when it comes to planning applications and community consultations, they are drowned out by a small but vocal minority. In times past, this may not have been such an issue, but with a planning system increasingly geared around local politics, people power needs harnessing just as much as the power of wind or wave.

The Chair of the UK’s Energy and Climate Change Committee, Tim Yeo, has highlighted the benefits that a Europe-wide electricity grid would bring to the UK.

In an article published by Renewable Energy Focus he said that the UK’s electricity system is “the least interconnected of all European countries.”