SSE Urges New UK Prime Minister to Increase Offshore Wind Targets

SSE has called on UK’s new Prime Minister Boris Johnson to increase the offshore wind capacity targets in order to reach the 2050 net zero emissions goal.

In his letter to the new Prime Minister, SSE Chief Executive Alistair Philips-Davies stated that the Government needs to raise its ambition for Contract for Difference (CfD) auctions to deliver more than the current target of 30GW of offshore wind by 2030.

According to SSE, at least 40GW of offshore wind should be the aim by 2030 if the UK wants to stay on course towards its 2050 net zero emissions target.

To remind, the company recently called on the Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Minister Chris Skidmore to increase the 6GW cap on new offshore wind.

“Increasing the 6GW capacity cap in the 2019 allocation would mark a significant first step towards net zero by delivering more renewable power in a way that is straightforward and cost effective for consumers,” Philip-Davies wrote.

Philip-Davies concluded that ramping up renewable capacity should form the central pillar of the Government’s efforts to meet net zero and it can be supported by complementary technologies such as nuclear and gas-fired power stations, but they cannot be the center of any model.