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Related: About this forumAged UK Coal Plants Will Remain Open For Years; Cameron Unveils Giant New Road-Building Plan
The UK is set to miss key targets on carbon emissions, because too many of the countrys most polluting coal-fired power plants are set to stay open far longer than the Government had pledged, a new report warns. Promises to introduce policies that would force coal plants to close have not been fulfilled, says the report by Imperial College London.
Ageing coal plants must close by 2025 if the UK is to get anywhere near its legally binding commitment to slash carbon emissions by 60 per cent of 1990 levels by 2030.
But while the Government said it would make it so expensive for coal plants to operate that they would have no choice but to close within a decade, it has failed to do so, warns the report. This means a significant portion of the hugely inefficient coal plants from the 1960s and 1970s a major source of carbon emissions are likely to keep operating into the 2030s, making it virtually impossible for the UK to meet key targets.
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He will promise at the Confederation of British Industrys annual conference in London over 100 improvements to our major roads, hundreds of extra lane miles on our motorways and trunk roads and the green light given to major projects that have stalled for years. Chris Todd, of the Campaign for Better Transport lobbying group, said: The Government is tearing up its green credentials and throwing them out of the window. On the same day it announces a massive road-building programme, we also discover that dirty coal plants are going to be staying open for longer.
EDIT
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/uk-carbon-emissions-the-stench-of-missed-targets-as-coalitions-green-credentials-are-torn-up-and-thrown-out-9850180.html
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Aged UK Coal Plants Will Remain Open For Years; Cameron Unveils Giant New Road-Building Plan (Original Post)
hatrack
Nov 2014
OP
muriel_volestrangler
(101,368 posts)1. Link to the Imperial College/WWF report:
http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/wwf_coal_report_imperial_college_final.pdf
The amount of coal generation selected by the model to operate during the 2020s is primarily a function of the carbon price, in the absence of other policies to constrain the use of existing coal fired power stations. This suggests that the view of plant operators on the future level of the Carbon Price Support will be a key driver of investment and operating decisions relating to coal out to 2030.
...
To ensure that coal does not threaten UK climate change goals we recommend the following:
The carbon price is a key driver of investment decisions. Government should provide a clear trajectory for UK carbon prices in the 2020s and continue to support a strong carbon price through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Clear signals should also be provided on the availability of CfDs to drive growth in low carbon generation post 2020 and provide confidence to investors.
Additional clarity for investors would also be provided if the Emissions Performance Standard is extended to existing coal that becomes IED compliant by 2023. Regulation would need to ensure that by 2030 old coal plants are strictly limited to very low operating hours, or closed.
...
To ensure that coal does not threaten UK climate change goals we recommend the following:
The carbon price is a key driver of investment decisions. Government should provide a clear trajectory for UK carbon prices in the 2020s and continue to support a strong carbon price through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
Clear signals should also be provided on the availability of CfDs to drive growth in low carbon generation post 2020 and provide confidence to investors.
Additional clarity for investors would also be provided if the Emissions Performance Standard is extended to existing coal that becomes IED compliant by 2023. Regulation would need to ensure that by 2030 old coal plants are strictly limited to very low operating hours, or closed.