Prof Simon Hogg responds to release of UK net zero strategy as it gears up to host COP26

On Wednesday 20th November the UK government launched its landmark Net Zero Strategy setting out how they plan to secure 440,000 well-paid jobs and unlock £90 billion in investment in 2030 on its path to ending its contribution to climate change by 2050.

Building on the Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan, the UK Net Zero Strategy sets out their economy-wide plan for how British businesses and consumers will be supported in making the transition to clean energy and green technology – lowering the Britain’s reliance on fossil fuels by investing in sustainable clean energy in the UK, reducing the risk of high and volatile prices in the future, and strengthening our energy security.

• Net Zero Strategy sets out how the UK will deliver on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050
• Outlines measures to transition to a green and sustainable future, helping businesses and consumers to move to clean power, supporting hundreds of thousands of well-paid jobs and leveraging up to £90bn of private investment by 2030
• Reducing Britain’s reliance on imported fossil fuels will protect consumers from global price spikes by boosting clean energy
• It comes as the UK prepares to host the UN COP26 summit next week, where the Prime Minister will call on other world economies to set out their own domestic plans for cutting emissions

In response to the annoucement Professor Simon Hogg, DEIs Ørsted Professor in Renewable Energy & Head of the Department of Engineering, Durham University, commented:

“The launch of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy ahead of COP 26 is an important milestone in the UK’s commitment to a low carbon future and the development of green jobs.

For the North East, it is exciting to see Teesside and the Humber named as one of the industrial decarbonisation and hydrogen clusters. The cables from some of the world’s largest offshore wind farms at Hornsea and Dogger Bank will come ashore in this region. An even greater focus on energy storage is mandatory if these and further projects are going to deliver the Government’s ambition for 40GW of offshore wind capacity integrated into the UK energy system by 2030 and hydrogen potentially has a huge role to play in this respect.

Looking further forward the ambition for 1GW of floating offshore wind by 2030 is a welcome addition to the strategy. Floating wind is still some way off large scale commercial deployment and there remains time for the UK to establish ourselves as a technology leader in this area. Success in this respect will allow us to exploit the wind resource on our western sea boarders away from the relatively shallow North Sea as well as the huge export potential that being a market leader in the design and manufacture of the technology will generate.”

Simon Hogg also leads the Energi Coast Innovation Group which will be hosting an event on 25th November showcasing the innovation opportunities provided by Dogger Bank and the region's manufacturing hubs. 

Find out about Durham Energy Institue research and activity in Offshore Wind Energy.