09/21/2007
UK - BWEA supports calls to upgrade Ofgem’s green remit
BWEA has welcomed the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) report, Lost in Transmission, which was released today, September 18th. The report calls for a change in Ofgem’s key xobjectives in order to promote sustainability.
Ofgem is the regulator for the energy sector – its interpretation of its current cost minimisation remit, which was originally drafted up in the 1990s, restricts the ability of the National Grid to plan and invest strategically for future connection upgrades.
BWEA has been campaigning for a number of years to persuade Ofgem to adopt a more imaginative approach to facilitating the connection of new sources of renewable energy into the National Grid.
BWEA Chief Executive Maria McCaffery said “If we are going to achieve our renewable energy targets on time then we need to see a cultural change at Ofgem, with more priority given to creative ideas for connecting new renewable power supplies into the National Grid.”
BWEA advocates allowing National Grid to operate under a system of ‘connect and manage’ which would enable them to guarantee connections for new renewable generators within a fixed period and then to reduce output from carbon intensive plant at times of grid congestion.
The SDC report supports the BWEA call for the introduction of connect and manage approach for grid connection. It also endorses proposals for Ofgem’s remit to be amended, upgrading its secondary xobjective to promote sustainability to equal standing with its original narrower xobjective of minimising costs to the consumer.
The report’s conclusion states “unless Ofgem xobjectives are aligned with those of Government, the scale of change that is required to meet the Government’s climate change and wider environmental targets will not be achieved.”
McCaffery added “This report is right on track. If we want to achieve the EU 2020 target for 20% of all energy to come from renewables then we need to make sure that sustainable energy producers are hooked up to the Grid on time.”
Interviews are available with BWEA …
For more information please contact:
Charles Anglin, Director of Communications BWEA, on 020 7689 1966 / 07973 348 1907 or charles@bwea.com
Ofgem is the regulator for the energy sector – its interpretation of its current cost minimisation remit, which was originally drafted up in the 1990s, restricts the ability of the National Grid to plan and invest strategically for future connection upgrades.
BWEA has been campaigning for a number of years to persuade Ofgem to adopt a more imaginative approach to facilitating the connection of new sources of renewable energy into the National Grid.
BWEA Chief Executive Maria McCaffery said “If we are going to achieve our renewable energy targets on time then we need to see a cultural change at Ofgem, with more priority given to creative ideas for connecting new renewable power supplies into the National Grid.”
BWEA advocates allowing National Grid to operate under a system of ‘connect and manage’ which would enable them to guarantee connections for new renewable generators within a fixed period and then to reduce output from carbon intensive plant at times of grid congestion.
The SDC report supports the BWEA call for the introduction of connect and manage approach for grid connection. It also endorses proposals for Ofgem’s remit to be amended, upgrading its secondary xobjective to promote sustainability to equal standing with its original narrower xobjective of minimising costs to the consumer.
The report’s conclusion states “unless Ofgem xobjectives are aligned with those of Government, the scale of change that is required to meet the Government’s climate change and wider environmental targets will not be achieved.”
McCaffery added “This report is right on track. If we want to achieve the EU 2020 target for 20% of all energy to come from renewables then we need to make sure that sustainable energy producers are hooked up to the Grid on time.”
Interviews are available with BWEA …
For more information please contact:
Charles Anglin, Director of Communications BWEA, on 020 7689 1966 / 07973 348 1907 or charles@bwea.com
- Source:
- British Wind Energy Association
- Author:
- Edited by Trevor Sievert, Online Editorial Journalist; Author: Charles Anglin
- Email:
- charles@bwea.com
- Link:
- www.bwea.com/...
- Keywords:
- BWEA, wind energy, renewable energy, wind turbine, wind power, wind farm, rotorblade, onshore, offshore
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