The head of the International Energy Agency has backed the government’s ambitious plan to clean up Britain’s power supply by 2030 so the UK can keep its lead in cutting-edge energy industries.
Labour has faced criticism for its ambition to supply almost all the country’s electricity with wind, solar and nuclear energy in only six years’ time.
Yet Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA, told The Times: “[The 2030 target] is a good target. It’s an ambitious target but I think the UK can achieve it.”
He said the greater danger for Britain lies not in moving too quickly towards renewables but in going too slowly. “Other economies are going very fast, and the UK, with its push towards renewables and nuclear power, I expect could be one of the leaders of clean power around the world.
“[The 2030 target] is not only important for the UK at home but also for UK industries, to be an important player globally”
Dieter Helm, an energy economist, has called the target “unachievable”, while Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, has argued that going “too fast, too soon” to meet it would leave Britain dependent on Chinese batteries and cables.
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