The UK will need around 108 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035 – more than 10 times current capacity – to achieve a net zero power system by the middle of the next decade, researchers from Imperial College London.

An analysis released this morning by the university’s Energy Futures Lab explores how the UK could achieve a carbon neutral electricity system by 2035 and concludes that the nation will need to significantly exceed the government’s primary target of delivering 40 GW of offshore wind by 2030, while dramatically increasing the number of grid-connected batteries that can help balance the grid across the country.

Achieving a zero carbon electricity grid by 2035 is widely recognized as a critical step in the UK’s journey towards achieving a net zero emissions economy by 2050. As such, the aim of the research was to identify the most cost effective way for the UK to provide a zero emission network.

Windy UK weather means offshore wind power, backed by energy storage, is the most beneficial route to a carbon-free grid, report concludes, saying solar power is set to play a role relatively “small” in the transition to a UK zero-energy system.

Professor Tim Green, co-director of Energy Futures Lab and co-author of the article, explained that achieving a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 would be essential if the UK is to meet its global ambition zero net while meeting the growing demand for electricity. by electrification of heating and road transport in the years to come. “We cannot afford to burn more fossil fuels to meet this demand, so we must invest now in technologies that can deliver green electricity in the most cost effective way,†he said. “The technology mix will be different from country to country, but in Britain it is clear that the system will be dominated by wind power, with the batteries taking up much of the slack when the wind is light.”

The results underscore the need for a rapid acceleration in offshore wind development, as well as a dramatic increase in grid-wide energy storage capacity that can balance a grid increasingly dominated by renewable energies. The report notes that around 140 GW of grid-connected batteries will be needed to provide a zero-emission grid by 2035, more than 100 times the volume used today.

“The United Kingdom has already made strong commitments in this area [offshore wind] and the PM says he wants the UK to be the Saudi Arabia of the wind, but it is clear from this work that the goal he has set for himself, although ambitious and difficult to achieve, is just won’t get us closer to where we need to be, “said lead author of the report, Dr Marko Aunedi.” We actually need to go much further. “

The report comes amid growing calls from across the renewable energy industry for the government to speed up its clean energy contract auction schedule, which has contributed to the rapid expansion of the wind industry. offshore in recent years, and has set a more ambitious deployment target for onshore renewable energy capacity. .

The analysis calculates that the cost of power from new nuclear power plants would have to drop sharply for the technology to become financially viable, but admits that new nuclear power may still be needed, despite unfavorable nuclear economic conditions, if wind farms are not built quickly enough. .

The exact capacity of wind power and energy storage required in a net zero emission power system would depend in part on the availability and maturity of other technologies, such as direct air capture systems, have added the researchers.

The Imperial College research is a joint working paper published by energy giant Ørsted and the World Resources Institute (WRI) that highlighted the need for policymakers to establish policies and financial incentives that allow to increase private sector investment in renewables, warning that the energy transition “is not happening fast enough” despite the fact that competitive clean energy technologies are now readily available.

The document, which was released late last week, sets out a number of policy recommendations for policymakers seeking to accelerate the energy transition, ranging from setting long-term goals for energy ‘renewable energies to the improvement of planning, authorization and public engagement processes for clean energy projects. , and invest in smart grids and electrical infrastructure.