The call came from think-tank Carbon Connect in a report calling for
stronger and clearer leadership from the government to drive the growth
of distributed generation.
The report also stressed action “to reform a regime that is
struggling to cope with recent expansions in distributed generation and
address barriers developing the electricity system efficiently”.
Carbon Connect’s report makes over 20 recommendations for the
government, Ofgem and distribution network operators. They include
establishing an agenda within the Department of Energy and Climate
Change and improving the government’s understanding of the benefits of
distributed generation.
It states that distributed generation will be critical in the
trebling of renewables capacity to 45GW by 2020 and delivering around 40
per cent additional lower carbon energy from combined heat and power by
2020, bringing installed capacity to around 9GW.
Distributed generation currently accounts for about 11 per cent, or
9GW, of UK electricity capacity and over half of this is renewable
generation, according to the report.
Laura Sandys MP, who chaired Carbon Connect’s inquiry into
distributed generation, said: “A huge amount of our energy
infrastructure needs replacing or upgrading within the next ten years if
the UK is to keep the lights on and meet its carbon reduction targets.
Distributed generation is an important gateway to the deployment of many
low carbon technologies, from wind to biomass and solar power.
“Distributed generation presents the opportunity to quickly deliver
much-needed new generating capacity and attract investment in energy
infrastructure from new and diverse sources. This is important as supply
margins fall from 14 per cent to 4 per cent by 2015/16 and as the UK
seeks £110 billion pounds of investment in energy infrastructure by
2020.”