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UK Government Announces Plan for 95% Green Energy by 2030

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14 Dec, 2024

This post was originally published on Eco Watch

Ed Miliband, the United Kingdom’s secretary of energy and climate change, announced on Friday the government’s “clean power 2030” plan, which includes measures giving ministers final approval of large onshore wind farms.

The plan is part of an “ambitious” goal of reaching 95 percent green energy by the end of the decade, reported BBC News.

“A new era of clean electricity for our country offers a positive vision of Britain’s future with energy security, lower bills, good jobs and climate action. This can only happen with big, bold change and that is why the government is embarking on the most ambitious reforms to our energy system in generations,” Miliband said in a government press release. “The era of clean electricity is about harnessing the power of Britain’s natural resources so we can protect working people from the ravages of global energy markets.”

Miliband also wants the country’s energy regulator to have the power to tackle energy projects waiting to be hooked up to the National Grid, BBC News said.

The Labour government wants large onshore wind projects to be brought back into England’s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project system, along with other energy infrastructure.

Labour’s plans would give the government the final word on the approval of wind projects bigger than 100 megawatts (MW), instead of putting local councils — which have frequently expressed opposition — in charge.

“We welcome the prospect of slashing red tape for grid connections, overturning the onshore wind ban in England and allowing more special offers to slash energy bills. Britain’s high energy prices stem from years of bad rules that don’t allow us to build renewable energy in the places it’s needed, or make use of cheap wind when it’s abundant, so these are positive steps,” said Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, in the press release.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said Labour’s new proposals will generate 40 billion pounds annually in private sector funds, The Guardian reported.

The plan was welcomed by environmental groups, as well as the energy industry.

The announcement followed Tuesday’s signing of the last investment decision for the first carbon capture project in the UK at Teesside. Construction will begin in mid-2025, with the East Coast Cluster set to capture and sequester carbon emissions from the region’s industries.

Environmentalists urged the government not to invest in carbon capture projects in lieu of renewable energy development.

“Any money earmarked for carbon capture and storage – which is expensive, impossible to make zero carbon and fails to detach electricity prices from the volatile international gas market – would be better spent on the renewables, grid and storage infrastructure that will actually deliver clean power,” said Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK’s director of policy, as reported by The Guardian.

The release of the new action plan followed a National Energy System Operator (NESO) analysis of pathways to Labour’s 2030 goal provided to the Energy Department. NESO called the target a “huge challenge,” but “achievable,” PA Media reported.

UK ministers are looking to release the country from its fossil fuel dependence, which was made clear when Britain’s energy bills skyrocketed to record highs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reported The Guardian.

The UK government will begin a call for evidence for parking lot solar panel canopies in 2025. It said a significant number of solar panels could also potentially be installed on factory and warehouse roofs, with one-fifth of the largest warehouses in the UK providing as much as 15GW of solar capacity.

Solar-powered canopies in a parking lot in China. Wengen Ling / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Low solar and wind power generation has forced the UK to lean heavily on the burning of wood and gas pellets. Roughly 65 percent of Britain’s electricity supply comes from gas and biomass, while just 5.3 percent is generated by wind.

“The winds of change are finally blowing in the right direction. But this roadmap must treble the amount of power generated by offshore wind and solar and double onshore wind, at least, if it’s to deliver the kind of ambition needed to turbocharge our way to a renewably powered future,” Parr said, as The Guardian reported.

The post UK Government Announces Plan for 95% Green Energy by 2030 appeared first on EcoWatch.

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Circularity roadmap for construction industry announced

Circularity roadmap for construction industry announced

World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has launched the Asia Pacific Regional Network (APN) Resources and Circularity Readiness Framework, presented at the WorldGBC hosted accelerator session, ‘Retrofitting buildings: Lessons from a global network’, as part of the World Circular Economy Forum 2025 (WCEF2025), a global event dedicated to the circular economy.

Developed by WorldGBC’s APN of 17 Green Building Councils (GBCs) as well as knowledge partners, the framework is a practical roadmap aimed at policymakers and businesses across the region to assess their circularity readiness and identify strategic priorities for action to decarbonise their building stock on both a national and regional scale.

The framework can be used as a tool to quantify the business case for circular, sustainable principles in the built environment, and support businesses and governments to reduce waste, conserve resources and lower carbon emissions. It shows the industry the practical steps it can take now towards circularity, based on its current capabilities. It sets out clear assessment criteria, specific readiness indicators and actionable guidance based on five interconnected elements:

Government leadership: Policies and regulations driving circularity at all levels.
Technical solutions: Innovative approaches enabling resource efficiency and circular material flows.
Data: Measurement systems tracking resource use and circularity progress.
Finance: Funding mechanisms supporting circular business models and infrastructure.
Mindset: Cultural shifts prioritising resource conservation and sustainable consumption.
 

The Framework further supports WorldGBC’s 2025–2027 strategic plan, which outlines the vision for a sustainable built environment, guided by global 2030 decarbonisation goals.

Joy Gai, Head of Asia Pacific Network, WorldGBC said, “The framework has been developed by sustainability experts from the Asia–Pacific, one of the most diverse regions in the world, which is defined by remarkable complexities of culture, building stocks and environmental conditions. Our network recognises that harnessing diversity is fundamental to shaping a more resilient, resource-efficient future — but we need a guide to show us how to put our ambition into action. That is why we developed the APN Resources and Circularity Readiness Framework.

“WorldGBC is proud to join our Green Building Councils and partners in launching this timely resource. It creates a common language to guide businesses through collaboration, identifying their needs and applying circular methods which support our shared vision for a sustainable and regenerative future for Asia–Pacific and beyond.”

Jeff Oatman, chair of the Asia Pacific Regional network, Head of Collaboration and membership at Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), added, “The Resources and Circularity Readiness Framework is a timely and much-needed initiative to accelerate the transition to a more regenerative and resource-efficient built environment across our region. By offering a clear pathway for assessing readiness and driving action, it empowers governments, industry and communities to make smarter, more sustainable decisions around circularity. I’m proud to be part of this collaboration and to contribute to a tool that not only fosters innovation but also supports practical outcomes that matter for people and the planet.”

Takuji Kohama, Chief Representative, AGC Group for Asia Pacific, also commented, “A resilient built environment relies on understanding ecological interconnections and making a conscious shift from linear consumption to cyclical resource stewardship. Designing buildings and infrastructures with their lifecycle in mind maximises material efficiency and minimises waste through a holistic approach from resource sourcing to end-of-life. Prioritising design for disassembly, material recovery, reuse and repurpose transforms buildings into dynamic material banks, significantly reducing construction’s environmental impact and fostering economic and environmental sustainability.

“Participating in the formulation of Resources and Circularity Readiness Framework offers a practical path to sustainable growth in our resource-constrained and climate-challenged region. This framework empowers built environment stakeholders to adopt a regenerative, resilient mindset focused on long-term value creation, redefining design, construction and living beyond waste minimisation. We aim to catalyse greater collaboration, innovation and systemic change, positioning AGC as a regional leader in circular economy practices and a model for urban sustainability.”

GBCs will use the framework to assess their own readiness to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in the built environment, as well as supporting the Asia–Pacific market. To find out more, head to the Green Building Council of Australia website.

Image credit: iStock.com/Benjamas Deekam

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