News: July 2010

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has advised that the UK should protect funding for a suite of low-carbon technologies, which if developed here, will help to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050, whilst also providing the basis for green economic growth in the longer term.

Without government support, a range of essential low-carbon technologies are likely to get stuck in a so-called ‘valley of death’, where development is curtailed, and will fail to make it to market.

New low-carbon technologies will be vital in generating cleaner forms of electricity, which can then be used for electric vehicles and heating, and in delivering energy-efficient buildings, areas which will make a very significant contribution to meeting the 2050 target to reduce emissions by 80% relative to 1990 levels.

The Committee concluded that any reduction in current funding levels (£550 million per year) would increase the risk of missing carbon budgets and would see the UK losing out on critical opportunities to build a green economy. Once financial pressures have eased, increased funding will be required in specific cases (such as marine technologies and electric vehicles), and for low-carbon innovation more generally, over the next decade.
 
The UK’s spend on energy RD&D as a % of GDP lags behind other developed countries. This situation is even more worrying, says CCC, in the context of global investment in technology development that is low relative to benchmarks proposed by the Stern Review, the International Energy Agency, and the EU.

There is much more for the UK to do in terms of supporting technology development. The Committee recommends that the UK should focus on the development and deployment of at least six technologies: Offshore wind; marine (wave and tidal); Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS); smart grids and meter; electric vehicles; and aviation.

The UK should also deploy nuclear power, advanced insulation technologies, CCS for industry, and heat pumps, advises the CCC, and invest in research and development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, technologies in agriculture and industry, 3rd generation solar PV technologies, electricity storage and advanced bio-fuels technologies.

Lastly, the Committee finds that there is a lack of clarity in the institutional landscape that supports low-carbon innovation.

The challenge for the new government is to set a clear strategy out to 2050 to focus resources on the right suite of low-carbon technologies and guide the various delivery bodies to ensure that public funding delivers long-term environmental and economic benefits.

The findings are published in a report to the government’s chief scientific advisor, Professor Sir John Beddington, who requested the review in October 2009.

Professor Julia King, member of the Committee on Climate Change said: “The case for action is strong. With adequate funding, new policies and strengthened delivery arrangements, we would expect UK firms to take leading roles in the development of key technologies, driving down emissions to meet carbon budgets and targets, and fulfilling the new government’s clear objective to build a low-carbon economy. We urge the government to put the appropriate low-carbon technology support arrangements in place to unlock environmental and wider economic benefits”.

Government chief scientific adviser Professor Sir John Beddington said: “Innovation will be enormously important if the UK is to meet its climate change goals, and to do so affordably.

"We need to develop and deploy the most promising low carbon technologies quickly across all sectors. In times of austerity we must also make sure we invest public money to maximum effect. I welcome the Climate Change Committee’s advice in this critical area.”

www.thcccorg.uk