December 13th 2024.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has just revealed his plan for meeting the government's goal of clean power by 2030. As part of this plan, Miliband has also announced that communities affected by the construction of new power pylons will receive discounts on their power bills.
In an interview with Metro, Miliband explained that the government is committed to significantly increasing the use of renewable energy sources as the deadline looms closer. He stated, "The principle for this government is, if you host clean energy infrastructure in your community, you should benefit from it." As part of this, communities near these sites will also receive funds for solar and wind projects.
Additionally, the government will now prioritize infrastructure projects based on their readiness to begin, rather than using a "first come, first served" system. The planning process will also be overhauled to prioritize the most critical power projects. Miliband emphasized the need for a more thorough approach to planning, saying "For a long time, we haven't really planned our energy system...We're going to have to plan what we build, where we build it, and when we build it, and that hasn't been done for generations now."
However, Miliband also acknowledged that these changes may not be universally supported, such as the need for more onshore wind farms. He said, "So we're being optimistic about what we can achieve. We're also being clear that it is going to be a big change in the way we do things. And the prize here is lower bills and energy security."
Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared that achieving 95% clean power by 2030 is one of the government's top priorities. This aligns with Labour's election manifesto promise of "clean power by 2030," which some interpreted as a 100% clean energy goal. However, Miliband clarified that the target of 100% clean power is a long-term goal and the focus for now is on reducing the use of gas power, which he described as "pretty much negligible."
When asked if these changes would cause disruption in people's lives, Miliband assured that the government is committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for everyone. He said, "We want this to be for everybody. So this is very much not about sticks, this is very much about kind of incentives and help for people." One of the incentives being considered is different tariffs for electricity usage at different times of the day, which would allow people to save money by running their appliances during off-peak hours.
Miliband also highlighted the importance of reducing reliance on fossil fuels and taking control of our own energy system. He stated, "We know that the cost of living crisis that still casts a shadow over the country was caused by our reliance on fossil fuels, international gas markets we don't control. There is only one way to get back control of our energy system, and that's with clean, home grown power."
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