The UK can meet its energy and climate change targets even if the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is not built, and alternatives, including the construction of additional offshore wind farms, work out cheaper, according to a report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).
Replacing all electricity generated by the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power station with power generated by as few as four additional offshore wind farms would cut the average UK household bill by GBP 10-20 per year, the report titled Hinkley: What If? Can the UK solve its energy trilemma without Hinkley Point C? states.
ECIU director Richard Black said the report shows that while Hinkley C could form part of the UK’s future energy mix, it is not essential.
“Despite years of debate on Hinkley, we’re still not sure whether or not it’s going to get built – the Prime Minister is due to make a decision next month, but even if she says ‘yes’ there are many other issues that could derail the project, including legal cases and EDF’s financial woes,” Black said.
“So we wanted to know how essential Hinkley is for the ‘energy trilemma’ – keeping the lights on whilst cutting greenhouse gas emissions and keeping costs down,” he said. Our conclusion is that it’s not essential; using tried and tested technologies, with nothing unproven or futuristic, Britain can meet all its targets and do so at lower cost. So if Mrs May decides to go ahead with Hinkley, all well and good – if she decides not to, or if the project stumbles at a later stage, we have alternatives.”
UK government is currently re-examining the Hinkley Point C project after EDF and China General Nuclear (CGN) approved the construction of the power station.