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Europe plans to build enough new gas power plants to supply 60 million households, despite a goal to decarbonize its power grid by the mid-2030s.
Around 72 gigawatts worth of new gas-fired power plants are planned across the continent, according to a report by pressure group Beyond Fossil Fuels.
Gas power generation capacity across the continent is set to increase by 27% under current proposals, despite G7 countries’ pledge to decarbonize their power grids by 2035.
The UK is planning or building more gas-fired power stations than almost any other European country, an analysis has found.
Rishi Sunak announced plans to build new gas power stations earlier this month, saying the UK could not risk blackouts on its way to net zero electricity by 2050.
Beyond Fossil Fuels campaigner Alexandre Mustache said: “There is a growing consensus that European countries should phase out fossil gas from their electricity systems by 2035, but the gas industry’s expansionist policies have You wouldn’t know it by looking at it.”
“Unless industry plans are synchronized with the climate imperative, the transition to renewable electricity will only become unnecessarily costly and disruptive.”
The UK plans include several developments by a subsidiary of Drax Group, the operator of the controversial Drax power station. Drax, once Europe’s largest coal-fired power station, now burns wood chips imported from the United States, a practice widely criticized by environmental groups.
Drax Group’s expansion plans include Abergelli Power, due to be launched this year, and nearby Hirwaun Power, also a Drax subsidiary, both in South Wales.
Further east, Millbrook Power plans to build a gas-fired power station near Milton Keynes. Progress Power, also a subsidiary of Drax, plans to build a gas-fired power plant at Eye Field, a former World War II air base in Suffolk.
Drax Group believes that the planned power plants will be relatively small and will be used during peak electricity demand when intermittent renewable technologies cannot produce the electricity needed to run the country, such as when the wind is not blowing. Said to be used only occasionally. And the sun isn’t shining.
A larger gas-fired power station is planned on the site of a former coal-fired power station at Eggborough, near Selby, North Yorkshire.
There, EPUK Investments, a subsidiary of Czech-based conglomerate EPH, has planning permission to build a massive 2.5GW gas-fired power plant that will power 2 million homes.
They also argue that the giant power plant will be flexible and provide power to back up intermittent renewable energy. But critics say that once built, owners will want to run it as best they can to maximize profits.
Beyond Fossil Fuels argues that all such projects would undermine the UK’s commitment to stop using fossil fuels to generate electricity by 2035. Labor says if it wins power it will decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030, five years early.
The pressure group said: “The UK government pledged in 2021 to decarbonise the electricity sector by 2035, but that promise has not been followed up with a credible delivery plan.
“There is not enough clarity about whether and when fossil fuels will be completely phased out, and the UK has We will need to solve the problem.”
Europe’s gas industry has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks. Earlier this month, climate change activists in Denmark, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden blocked roads, ports and refineries to protest the government’s decision to issue permits for additional North Sea oil and gas exploration.
The annual European Gas Conference, scheduled for this week in Vienna, was canceled as organizers cited concerns about possible protests.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “Unabated gas has a role to play in backing up renewable energy to maintain a safe and reliable energy system. Independence of the Climate Change Commission The analysis found that the electricity sector is likely to experience increased costs and supply risks in 2035 if gas supply remains unabated.
“We expect new gas production capacity to be built net-zero, and as plants only operate for a limited number of hours a year, emissions will be fully integrated into legally binding carbon budgets. will match.”
A Drax spokesperson said: “Our gas power plant development is designed to fill power gaps when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. We expect to begin operations as soon as this fall. We continue to evaluate options for these assets, including sale.”
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