UK is falling behind on 2020 renewables target
A major European-wide analysis of renewable energy markets has found that the UK is falling short of its 2020 renewables target.
The goal set by the European Union for the UK is to produce at least 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. This overall energy target includes transport, heating and electricity generation.
A project titled ‘Keep in Track!’ was put in place to ensure countries are making the necessary progress between now and 2020. The analysis found that while growth in renewable electricity generation is currently on course, the growth rate of renewable transport and heating must increase in order to meet the 2020 target.
Keep on Track! Has put together policy recommendations for the disparate energy sectors in order to tackle the barriers deterring deployment of renewable energy across Europe. They include allocation of Contract for difference (CfDs) and uncertainty over the status of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), where budgets are currently unconfirmed.
Commenting on the Keep on Track! analysis, chief executive of the Renewable Energy Association, Dr Nina Skorupska, said: “This report couldn’t be clearer in its conclusion that the UK is underachieving in two of our three renewable energy obligations.
“There continues to be a number of major regulatory and administrative barriers holding back the progress of renewable energy deployment across Europe and the UK, and these must be addressed as a matter of urgency if we are to get back on track towards the 2020 targets.”
Michael Bennett of Pelican Communications commented: ‘Renewable energy is a controversial and divisive subject in the UK. The recent announcement by the Government that new onshore wind turbines will be excluded from the subsidy scheme will not help accelerate our attempts to reach the 2020 target.’
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