Report says UK on track to energy security
August 10, 2009
According to a new report commissioned by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, the UK is on course to achieve its objective of securing its energy supplies, both domestically and internationally.
The report - Energy Security: A National Challenge in a Changing World - was produced by the Prime Minister's Special Representative on International Energy, the Rt. Hon. Malcolm Wicks MP.
The document explains why energy security must be a national priority as the UK makes the transition to a low-carbon economy. It also argues that the switch to a low-carbon economy is as crucial from an energy security perspective as it is from the point of view of tackling climate change.
The report recommends that the Government vigorously pursues the twin objectives of energy efficiency and home grown energy provision. The energy security challenges faced by the UK are illustrated by the fact that it is still expected to be importing from 45% to 80% of its gas by 2020.
One of the problems with this position of energy dependence is that the majority of the world's energy resources are concentrated in some of the least stable areas. Hence, it is vital that the UK takes action to use its energy more efficiently, while simultaneously producing more energy of its own.
Specific recommendations of the report include the following.
- Consideration should be given to the possibility of nuclear power providing approximately 35-40% of the UK's energy beyond 2030
- Norway, Qatar and Saudi Arabia should be prioritised as the most significant bilateral relationships in terms of energy security
- The UK should stay at the forefront of carbon capture and storage technology developments
- The Government should review additional measures to increase levels of gas storage
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