UK ‘at risk’ with wind power: mix of technology essential, says Centrica boss
Britain “faces a real risk” if it focuses too much on wind energy instead of a mix of technologies, the chief executive of British Gas owner has warned.
In an attack on Labour’s energy plans, Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea pointed to figures showing the UK’s wind farms are inefficient.
The UK has around 30GW of installed wind power capacity, generating an average of 4.41GW of electricity last week.
Green energy: The UK has around 30GW of installed wind energy capacity, which generated an average of 4.41GW of electricity over the past week
This means that less than 15 percent of it has been used.
Last year, wind energy generated 9.43 GW, of which about 30 percent was utilised, the energy boss said.
O’Shea wrote on LinkedIn: ‘While wind energy is great, we run a huge risk if we focus too much on new wind energy as we seek to decarbonize the energy system of the future.
‘A net-zero future requires different technologies, and a good balance.’
His message comes as the Labour government aims to have a carbon-free electricity system by the end of this decade.
That will require billions of pounds of new investment in renewables. Labour’s plans include a breakthrough with a state-owned energy company, Great British Energy.
This will see £8.3 billion of taxpayers’ money invested in wind and solar energy projects and other green technologies, using tax revenues from oil and gas giants.
Concerns: Chris O’Shea (pictured), boss of Britih Gas owner Centrica, has warned of recent figures showing the UK’s wind farms are inefficient
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hopes this will increase the amount of renewable electricity generated in the UK and reduce energy bills.
Last week it was announced that the government will use the British seabed, owned by the Crown Estate, to build wind farms.
But the Conservatives said GB Energy was ‘nothing more than a gimmick that will ultimately cost a lot of money’.
O’Shea has also questioned the role of subsidies.
“And we should ask ourselves why subsidies are needed for wind farms in the form of a guaranteed price for the electricity produced?” he wrote in his Linked In post.
“It has served us well in the past, and it may serve us well in the future, but we have to at least ask ourselves the question.”
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