Nuclear is UK’s ‘cheapest low-carbon option’

Web MasterEnergy Efficiency, Utilities Market Regulation

The Committee on Climate Change has said in its renewable energy review that nuclear power remains the cheapest low carbon energy option

Nuclear Plant

The CCC said that nuclear power will stay the cheapest solution to growing a low carbon energy supply for at least the next 10 years.

The The Committee on Climate Change report says that the UK’s energy supply should be 35-40% from renewable sources by 2030.

The CCC also proposed that the UK should aim to reduce carbon emissions by 60% on 1990 levels by 2030, a proposition which has already had some opposition from a few government departments.

This has lead to some suggestions the Prime Minister may have to step in to avoid a cabinet split.

The report is critical of wind power as a short term solution to the UK’s carbon reduction targets, due to the expense of building wind farms.

The report does suggest however that wind power could become cheaper than nuclear within the next 15-20 years.

The report predicts that for the long term low-carbon aims of the country – such as reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 – nuclear and wind power will have an even split of around 40% each.