Industry back Committee on Climate Change 2050 Net Zero target

02 May 2019

BEAMA, the leading UK trade association, representing manufacturers of energy technologies supports the Committee on Climate Change net zero target.  Given the odds we now face globally in exceeding the 1.5°C rise in temperature, this is the only way forward. 

Industry will have a key role to play in delivering the technologies required to reduce emissions at this level.  Radical policy change and infrastructure planning will be required to ensure we cement this opportunity.  The technology is easily available on the market today. If delivered with effective planning this could have positive implications for our economy. BEAMA view this as a significant opportunity to retain UK manufacturing and promote export and inward investment.

In recent years the UK has invested significant sums of money into innovation and testing for new low carbon technologies and solutions. This is our chance to now galvanise this learning and technological development and promote the UK as a leader in new low carbon technologies on our road to decarbonise.

The Committee on Climate Change noted that the main change that has enabled this is the drop-in cost of renewables, prompted by Government policy and incentives for wind and solar. More planning is now required to maintain the long-term prospects for the renewables sector in the UK, and associated technologies like storage, setting out clear market signals. Read more on our views regarding investment and financing for the UK energy market and renewables sector here

We know in coming years the biggest savings for carbon are to made from the housing and transport sectors. How consumers heat their homes will have huge impacts on the UK’s ability to decarbonise. Investment in low carbon technologies in the built environment will save consumers money in the long run as we develop more efficient, healthy homes.  To reach the targets outlined the UK will need to radically accelerate plans to reform planning and regulations for the UK housing stock and this is something BEAMA makes a firm commitment to support. 

We are continuing our work with companies across a range of sectors within our membership including heating and ventilation, IoT devices, electric vehicle infrastructure, storage, energy networks and building systems to work with Government and help inform policy to deliver on our zero-carbon future.

Dr Howard Porter, BEAMA CEO stated ‘this report is a great step forward. The commitment from our industry is clear and we are continuing work with other sectors and Government to deliver on this. The challenge for our industry is the need for investment planning and this requires clear, and decisive strategies from Government on what the market will look like.  Action needs to happen fast to ensure we have the supply chain in the UK to deliver on this’.  

To read more on our work relating to the development of low carbon homes, heating, transport and market design for energy systems download our Electrification by Design Series here