Increase our commitment to renewables

Our verdict

• This is a promise to increase the government’s commitment to using energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind energy.
• Since the election, the government has consulted on changes to the Contracts for Difference scheme (CfD), its “main mechanism for supporting low-carbon electricity generation”, and its response confirmed a decision to add offshore wind to the scheme and reinstate the eligibility of onshore wind and solar photovoltaic projects. In its November 2020 Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, the government announced it would “aim to deliver up to double the amount of renewables we procure through our next Contract for Difference auction”.  The March 2021 Budget contained further evidence of support for renewable energy, such as the green savings bond and backing for offshore wind projects. In April 2021, the announcement of the sixth Carbon Budget, which limits permissible levels of greenhouse gas emissions, was a further strong commitment to increased use of renewable energy.
• The next round of CfD auctions is planned to open in December 2021, but developments to date do represent an increased commitment to renewables, as indicated by the cautiously positive response to the Ten Point Plan and the Carbon Budget from green groups. This policy is ‘done’.