UK goes big on nuclear and offshore wind for its future and secure low-carbon energy

The UK officially confirmed on Thursday that, to ensure the country’s energy security and independence, while also moving more rapidly to achieving net-zero carbon emissions energy, it was going to particularly prioritise the development of new nuclear and offshore wind generation capacity. Hydrogen and solar power sources were not being forgotten, and, in the short- and medium-term, domestic oil and gas production would not be neglected. The government would immediately set up a new agency, Great British Nuclear, backed by “substantial funding”, to facilitate the launch of new nuclear projects. A £120-million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund would be launched this month. The aim was to have 24 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050, or some 25% of the country’s predicted electricity demand for that year. Currently, nuclear provided about 16% of the UK’s electricity.
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Ramaphosa warns risk of ‘not undertaking an ambitious and just transition’ are great

President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged the risks associated with South Africa’s transition from coal to renewables but insists the “risks of not undertaking an ambitious and just transition are far greater.” Speaking during the virtual launch of the Oxford ‘Handbook on the South African Economy’, the President said the commitments made by South Africa to avert a climate crisis carry “significant risks”.
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