Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Paragraph: 42
Set out investment opportunities for fitting low-carbon energy on defence estates by 2030.
Recommendation
The Ministry of Defence should set out the balance of investment opportunities around accelerating the fitting of low-carbon energy sources to the defence estate in the UK and abroad to achieve ‘estate net zero’ by 2030. Although this will require additional initial capital outlay, it should reduce whole-life costs and carbon emissions and increase Defence’s energy resilience and self-sufficiency.
Government Response Summary
The government outlines that it has already amended building standards, is undertaking current activities like 'no regrets' asset actions, site-based energy campaigns, solar PV installations, and implementing energy management systems, all contributing to the public sector's Net Zero by 2050 pathway.
Paragraph Reference:
42
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
. All Public Sector organisations are working to deliver the agreed decarbonisation pathway contained in the UK Net Zero Strategy and associated Heat and Buildings Strategy. This pathway is set against a 2017 baseline and aims to achieve a 30% reduction by 2025, 50% less by 2032, 75% less by 2037 and be Net Zero by 2050. The RAF has a separate estate Net Zero 2030 aspiration to drive its own response, over and above the overall Departmental position. To achieve this pathway the MOD has already amended its building standards to incorporate more stringent energy targets for new builds and refurbishments. Wider work to decarbonise the estate will need to be a focus of future Departmental fiscal events to provide the funding (or draw of alternative sources of funding such as the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme), to enable the MOD to exploit the acknowledged whole life savings, security, resilience and emission reduction benefits. Examples of current activity underway within existing funding include: • ‘No regrets’ asset specific actions (e.g., building fabric, LED replacements); solutions that can be undertaken efficiently with effective impacts. • Site-based behaviour campaigns to improve energy efficiency. • Self-owned and operated ground mounted solar PV (e.g., Project Prometheus) and MOD-funded solar PV installations, switching demand from grid to self- generation. • Installation of building energy management systems and automatic meter readings across the Defence Estate. • Adopting construction methods that reduce emissions early in the life of infrastructure assets.