Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Ed Miliband has labeled Britain’s reliance on fossil fuels as the energy “Achilles heel” as he presses ahead with a clean energy agenda despite growing political opposition.
Speaking at Energy UK’s annual conference, the Energy Secretary argued that renewable energy is cheaper than new gas plants, and is the right choice to free the country from the influence of global fossil fuel markets and reduce the “bill for good”.
As part of efforts to secure energy supplies, curb bills and tackle climate change, the Labor Party came to power promising “clean energy by 2030”, with almost all of Britain’s electricity coming from clean sources such as renewables and nuclear by the end of the decade.
But this agenda has faced significant opposition from the Conservatives and Reform UK, who have promised to abandon “expensive” net zero policies and maximize oil and gas extraction from the North Sea.
Mr Miliband told the conference in London on Tuesday: “Our exposure to fossil fuel markets remains the weak link in our energy system, keeping bills high and giving us no long-term certainty on prices.”
He said wholesale gas costs to homes were 75% higher than their levels before Russia invaded Ukraine, causing bills to rise.
And the Cabinet minister argued that, with historic low investment in the energy system and rapidly increasing demand for power for things like AI and electric vehicles, which are cheaper to buy, new energy infrastructure must be built.
He said: “People They are entitled to advocate more fossil fuels and more or less renewable energy as part of this mix.
“But here’s the reality that those people have to face: They will leave us more exposed because we don’t control the price.
“They are more expensive to build and operate.
“They will leave us behind in the global race for future jobs, investment and industries.
“And they will drive a coach and horses through our efforts to tackle the climate crisis.”
Mr Miliband told the conference: “I believe building clean energy is the right choice for the country because, despite the challenges, it is the only route to a system that can reliably reduce well-being bills and provide us with clean energy in abundance.”
He also warned against exaggerating the public reaction against the green agenda.
Mr Miliband said he believed the British public largely supports climate action, believes in the benefits of clean energy and wants it to be done in a way that supports their living standards – as he said Government Will do.
His comments came as the government announced it was giving the green light to the UK’s largest solar farm, Tilbridge in Lincolnshire, the 17th nationally significant clean energy project it has approved since coming to power.
Officials said the 500 megawatt (MW) solar scheme, which has faced local opposition, could support 1,250 jobs and power hundreds of thousands of homes with solar power – the cheapest form of electricity available to the UK.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir in his speech at the conference ed davy The energy sector was called on to “accept the lies” put forward by Reform UK and the Conservative Party, which claim clean energy policies will cost UK billpayers more money.
Sir Ed said Reform UK leader Nigel Farage And Tory leader Kemi Badenoch “pretends the bills are high because we’re investing so much in renewable energy”.
“And they pretend that if we stop that investment they will suddenly collapse – simplistic, misleading, very, very wrong,” he said.
Sir Ed argued that his plan “will not cut bills and it will not strengthen energy security”.
The Lib Dems plan to halve energy bills by 2035 by investing in renewable energy, introducing a 10-year home energy upgrade program and moving older renewable projects from expensive subsidies to a cheaper “contract for difference” scheme.
But the shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho In his speech at the conference he defended the Conservative Party’s move against net zero policies.
She said: “I know people argue that the things politicians are saying are reducing certainty, and that certainty is what businesses need.
“But sticking to decisions that make people poorer and make our energy more expensive will not be sustainable in the long run because voters will not accept it.”
Earlier, Section Vyas, chief executive of Energy UK, the sector trade body hosting the conference, called for clarity and honesty amid a breakdown in political consensus.
He said: “The message from the energy industry is clear to all politicians involved in the debate about clean energy.
“Businesses want continuity, pragmatism and leadership based on the understanding that clean energy is not just a climate solution, but also an economic and strategic solution.”
While he said the debate about change is a sign of a healthy democracy, he warned about the need to keep an eye on “the bigger picture and the cost of inaction”.