Boris Johnson warned Kwarteng's renewables drive would precipitate cost crisis and 'ruin lives'
Net Zero Watch has warned Boris Johnson that the proposal by business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to hugely expand the UK’s renewables fleet would precipitate the energy cost crisis and ruin lives.
While the government is struggling to agree a new energy security strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng is reported to be proposing a tenfold expansion of solar power, a fivefold increase in offshore wind, and a threefold increase in onshore wind, as well as a small increase in the nuclear fleet.
Net Zero Watch’s deputy director, Andrew Montford said:
The capital cost alone would run to £10,000 per household. This is an insane proposal at a time when households are already struggling with a doubling of the cost of their energy bills.”
And Dr John Constable, Net Zero Watch’s director of energy said:
On top of the capital cost, Mr Kwarteng’s plan would cost billions of pounds of operating costs, and billions more to keep the grid functioning. This is not the kind of proposal a serious politician would put forward”.
Calculations
| Technology | GW to install | Cost per GW | Cost £bn | Cost per household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 36 | 1,000 | 36 | 1,333 |
| Onshore | 15 | 1,500 | 23 | 833 |
| Offshore | 39 | 4,000 | 156 | 5,778 |
| Nuclear | 9 | 10,000 | 90 | 3,333 |
| Total | 305 | 11,278 |
Example capital costs from audited accounts
Solar: Lisburn https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/NI635415/filing-history
Onshore: Blackcraig Windfarm https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC493311/filing-history
Offshore: Beatrice https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC350248/filing-history