Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Deferred
Paragraph: 77
Establish a UK-wide onshore wind target by 2035, informing an England-specific target.
Recommendation
The British Energy Security Strategy did not include a target for onshore wind, even though it is one of the cheapest and quickest sources of renewable electricity to deploy. We recommend that the UK Government works with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to agree a UK-wide target for the deployment of onshore wind by 2035, which should inform a specific target to increase the deployment of onshore wind in England.
Government Response Summary
The government's response details investments through the Nuclear Fuel Fund to support the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and a strategic civil nuclear partnership with the US. This completely deflects from the recommendation to agree a UK-wide target for onshore wind deployment.
Paragraph Reference:
77
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
44. Maintaining a strong domestic nuclear fuel sector is critical to support a number of the Government’s strategic national security objectives, including UK energy independence. The Government recognises that significant investment will be required to support the sector to develop and produce fuel for new reactor designs, across GW reactors, SMRs and AMRs. 45. Through the Nuclear Fuel Fund, the Government is directly investing to support domestic fuel supply chain in this transition to both protect UK’s energy security and support its partners to diversify away from Russian supply. This supports the Government’s commitment, made in the G7 Leader’s Communique (July 2022) and recently reaffirmed as part of the Sapporo Agreement (April 2023), to reduce global dependence on Russian nuclear fuel. Decarbonisation of the power sector: Government Response 9 46. The Nuclear Fuel Fund will provide match funding to promising projects aimed at developing new fuel production capabilities to supply the reactors of today and advanced reactors of the future. Applications for the competitive fund of up to £50m have now closed. Shortlisted projects are undergoing due diligence and assurance ahead of expected grant award in July 2023, subject to final approvals. 47. As part of the Nuclear Fuel Fund, the Government has also directly awarded £13m to Westinghouse, Springfields Fuels Ltd. to support the establishment of a capability to convert both freshly mined and recycled uranium at the Springfields nuclear site. This will help to restore and develop the UK’s historic conversion capability, protecting UK’s energy security and providing its partners with an alternative to Russian supply. 48. Alongside this, as part of the Atlantic Declaration, the Government has entered a strategic civil nuclear partnership with the US. Through this partnership, the US and UK will take joint action to establish new infrastructure and end-to-end fuel cycle capabilities by 2030 in both continents, substantially minimising reliance on Russian fuel, supplies, and services.