Rules Brittania: The UK’s New Energy Security Strategy, and the Bioeconomy

Aviation Fuel/Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)Opinions Policy UK (United Kingdom)

April 15, 2022

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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the UK, the British Government announced its Energy Security Strategy to create a ‘flow of energy that is affordable, clean and above all secure. We need a power supply that’s made in Britain, for Britain – and that’s what this plan is all about.”

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“Yet as the years passed we drifted into dependence on foreign sources. Sometimes this was through deliberate planning; more often it was the byproduct of policy fudges, decision-dodging and short-term thinking. Whatever the cause, the result today is all too obvious to anyone who receives an energy bill.

“Global energy costs have been rising for some time as demand soars and factories roar back into life after COVID-19; Putin’s invasion of Ukraine pushed them still higher and, ultimately, it is the consumer who ends up paying the price. For years, governments have dodged the big decisions on energy, but not this one.”

(Prime Minister Boris) Johnson pledged that the policy will look forward towards clean energy instead of backwards to the days of coal, that his government will “take advantage of Britain’s inexhaustible resources of wind and – yes – sunshine. We’re going to produce vastly more hydrogen, which is easy to store, ready to go whenever we need it, and is a low carbon superfuel of the future. We’re embracing the safe, clean, affordable new generation of nuclear reactors, taking the UK back to pre-eminence in a field where we once led the world.”

The government touted actions to date on its 10-Point Plan. Let’s review those.

The UK’s 10-Point Plan: Delivery highlights so far

Advancing offshore wind

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Driving the growth of low carbon hydrogen

– £7.5 million awarded to ITMs Gigastack Project, an early mover in the market, with potential to support up to 2,000 jobs over time

– Preparing to allocate up to £100 million of revenue support to initial electrolytic projects

– Launching £240 million to Net Zero Hydrogen Fund later in April

– Developed indicative Heads of Terms for hydrogen business model contract

Delivering new and advanced nuclear power

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Accelerating the shift to zero emission vehicles

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Green public transport, cycling and walking

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Jet zero and green ships

– Consulted on introduction of a UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate, requiring jet fuel suppliers to blend an increasing proportion of SAF into aviation fuel from 2025

– Allocated £23 million as part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition

Greener buildings

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Investing in CCUS

– Committed £1 billion in public investment to decarbonize our industrial clusters

– Announced the first 2 clusters in Teeside, the Humber and Merseyside

– Launched phase 2 of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, allocating £60 million to decarbonization technologies, with a further £100 million delivered in May and October this year

Protecting our natural environment

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Green finance and innovation

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We didn’t hear much about transport — the UK has indicated that energy security starts — and finishes in the home.

We note there are billions for zero emission vehicles, and overall the UK has outlined 14.729 billion for its strategy, but announced only 23 million for transport fuel innovation, focused entirely on green marine. That’s 0.2 percent of spending on an area representing some 25 percent or more of overall emissions.

So, of course we like the ambition, but the allocations are laughable. It’s like spending $200 million on salaries for a football team of international stars and investing just $125,000 in the goalkeepers. You’re bound to lose, and lose, and lose.

For sure, the UK has an ambitious aviation target and the renewable fuels industry is going to have to deliver there with massive increases in capacity. Prime Minister Boris Johnson blames “policy fudges, decision-dodging and short-term thinking” for the UK’s problems, and well should he understand that, for rarely has a document indulged more in all that in the name of energy security. For nuclear, billions, for aviation, “Consultations”. For wind, a billion, for switching fuels for lorries, nothing. For low-carbon ZEVs, billions, for carbon-negative fuels, nothing.

There is nothing wrong with transforming the prospects for nuclear, hydrogen, heat pumps and electric vehicles. Expecting the hardest sector – heavy-duty transportation — to do the hard yards of defossilization entirely alone, well, what can we say?

The Prime Minister talks of delivering a signal and he has done it — it’s “electrify everything”, British-style. READ MORE

Planes running on batteries and hydrogen to become a reality under new group of aviation experts (Gov.UK (Department for Transport, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, and The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP))

Excerpt from Gov.UK: Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng have today (20 April 2022) set out a new group of aviation experts across industry and government who will work together to make zero emission flight a reality.

As world leaders in aviation decarbonisation, the new Zero Emission Flight (ZEF) Delivery Group, will further Britain’s role in the global effort to end flight emissions.

Launched at the fifth meeting of the Jet Zero Council, the new steering group will help position the UK at the forefront of the global shift to green aviation by supporting the development of zero emission aircraft and airport infrastructure. It will also look at how the law needs to adapt so that sustainable flying can truly become a reality.

The new group will sit under the Jet Zero Council – an advisory forum with experts from across the industry – and will focus specifically on the technology, infrastructure and regulation needed to make zero emission flight a reality.

Speaking at the fifth Jet Zero Council meeting today, the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said:

From the first jet engine created here in the UK, Britain is truly a world-leader in flying. Now we are determined to revolutionise flying and we want to see everyone have the opportunity to travel guilt-free.

We are determined to bring forward the flight technology of the future, and through our new Zero Emission Flight Delivery Group, we will help create thousands of jobs around the country and take another step toward zero emission flights.

The new group will be led by aviation expert Rachel Gardner-Poole, who joins with over 20 years of experience in military and commercial aviation, both in the public and private sector. Currently the Chief Operating Officer for the Connected Places Catapult, Rachel has previously worked at the Civil Aviation Authority, the UK Space Agency and IBM.

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The government is investing in aerospace R&D through the ATI Programme and £685 million will be provided over the next 3 years, which was announced in March by the Business Secretary.

In addition, government is providing £125 million (matched by £175 million from industry) of support for Innovate UK’s Future Flight Challenge. The challenge will shortly announce projects successful in its third funding competition including those advancing electric flight technologies that will support the operation of sub-regional aircraft and the UK in reaching its net zero target. READ MORE