Mike Rowe is a consultant in our renewable energy team, and he comments on the latest report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
A generation crisis is looming if the conclusions of a report issued by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is correct.
30 new combined cycle gas turbine generation plants will need to be built over the next 10 years if there are no changes to current policies which include the decommissioning of all coal fired power stations and ageing nuclear power stations
Given that only 4 new gas turbine plants have been built in the last 10 years the country does not have the resources or skilled people to build 30 plants within the required timescale.
The prospects of Hinkley Point C being built look increasingly remote as EDF, it is reported, are facing challenges in securing the required funding.
The report has recommended that the UK Infrastructure Commission urgently looks at the question of delivering electricity supply security with no coal-fired generation and implements the changes needed to achieve this strategy.
It also asks the Government to revisit energy policy and alongside the electricity generation industry reviews the capacity in the supply chains to deliver new power infrastructure,
From our view point although the renewables industry is very focused on reducing costs the fact that proven technologies such as wind and solar can be operational within comparatively short time periods must make them part of the solution to addressing the supply gap. The question of ‘baseload’ will be addressed with large scale battery storage which is about to come on stream and at a cost that meets market requirements.
All of the media focus at the current time is on ‘Brexit’ when the biggest crisis facing the country could be keeping the lights on!