Three things you need to know about Clean Power by 2030

Have you heard of 'CP30'? While 'Star Wars' fans might think of the humanoid robot character C-3PO, it actually stands for Clean Power by 2030. This is not science fiction; but the UK government's plan to achieve a decarbonised energy system in Great Britain by 2030, moving the target up from 2035.

Upon taking office, the UK government tasked the new energy system expert body, the National Energy System Operator (NESO), with advising on this goal. In early November, NESO published its opinion outlining the energy network upgrades and policy decisions necessary to achieve the goal of a clean power system.

With only five years left, here are three key things to know about CP30:

1. Clean power 

What is clean power? NESO describes this as the situation in Great Britain in which the power generated from clean sources exceeds the total consumption of energy. These sources include renewables (solar, wind, storage, hydro, tidal and biomass) and other low carbon sources (nuclear, plants using carbon capture and storage – CCUS - to reduce their impact on the climate, and hydrogen produced from low carbon methods). Unabated gas generation (i.e. gas generation, of which the pollution levels are hard to reduce), will only make up 5% of the energy mix in 2030.

The bedrock of the clean power system will need to be offshore wind, providing half of the electricity needed, and onshore wind and solar, which will provide another 29%.

2. Doing things differently

Having a clean power system by 2030 is a herculean task. As time is of the essence, we need to do things differently. How? NESO suggests two pathways and six key areas for action.

• Pathways: These are the 'further flex and renewables' pathway and the 'new dispatch' pathway. The 'further flex and renewables' pathway envisages a higher share in the energy mix of renewables and storage, and a greater involvement of residential and industrial consumers in adjusting their energy consumption to help the stable (i.e. flexible) operation/balance of the energy system. This scenario does not require new dispatchable plants i.e., those that can quickly change the amount of electricity which they provide ( for example, nuclear energy plants). On the other hand, the 'new dispatch' pathway sees a higher need for more dispatchable power including hydrogen and nuclear, and less growth in renewables, notably offshore wind and storage.
• Enablers: Whichever pathway the UK government decides to follow, the recipe to decarbonise the energy system successfully by 2030 must have six key ingredients: supportive markets and funds to enable investment in energy systems, a streamlined planning system with shorter consenting times without discounting community engagement, a reform of the grid connection process, support to mobilise the supply chains and the workforce necessary for CP30, the prioritisation of the energy system's digitalisation and innovation and a leading role for NESO in coordinating the efforts to implement CP30.

3. Sweeping effect 

The CP30 programme is ambitious and key upcoming energy policies and plans in the UK must be aligned with it. The ongoing connections reform will reduce the long connections queue by prioritising connection to the grid of those projects required under CP30. The first iteration of the new Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), pointing to which electricity and hydrogen assets are needed, and where, by 2035 in Great Britain, will also be informed by CP30. The upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill must reduce consenting times to enable fast and focused delivery of the CP30 infrastructure.

Conclusion and next steps 

NESO's advisory opinion concludes that it is challenging but achievable to have a clean power system in Great Britain by 2030 at no extra cost for consumers. The UK government is expected to publish its response to NESO's recommendations and the plan by mid-December 2024.

If you have any questions on CP30, please contact our team of energy experts.