Britain ‘runs a real risk’ if it focuses too much on wind power instead of a mix of technology, the boss of British Gas’ owner has warned.
In a swipe at Labour’s energy plans, Centrica chief executive Chris O’Shea pointed to figures showing that UK’s windfarms are inefficient.
The UK has around 30GW of installed wind generation capacity which generated 4.41GW of electricity on average in the last week.
Green energy: The UK has around 30GW of installed wind generation capacity which generated 4.41GW of electricity on average in the last week
This means less than 15 per cent of it was used.
Last year, wind generated 9.43GW, with around 30 per cent used, the energy boss said.
O’Shea wrote on Linked In: ‘Whilst wind power is great, we run a real risk if we focus too much on new wind as we look to decarbonise the energy system of the future.
‘A net zero future requires a range of technologies, and a good balance.’
His post comes as come as the Labour government wants a zero-carbon electricity system by the end of this decade.
That will require billions of pounds of new investment in renewables. Labour’s plans include a push ahead with a state-owned energy group, Great British Energy.
This will invest £8.3billion of taxpayer money in wind and solar power projects, as well as other green technologies, using windfall tax on oil and gas giants.
Concerns: Chris O’Shea (pictured), boss off Britih Gas-owner Centrica, has warned over recent figures showing that the UK’s windfarms are inefficient
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hopes that doing this will boost the amount of UK-created renewable electricity, and lower energy bills.
It was revealed last week the Government will use British sea-bed, owned by the Crown Estate, to help build windfarms.
But the Conservatives said GB Energy was ‘nothing but a gimmick that will end up costing families’.
O’Shea has also questioned the role of subsidies.
‘And should we ask why subsidies are needed for wind farms in the form of a guaranteed price for the electricity produced?,’ he wrote in his Linked In post.
‘It’s served us well in the past, and it may well serve us well in the future, but we should at least ask the question.’
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