Green energy infrastructure investment is being jeopardised by British regulations that favour EU electricity imports.
In new analysis put together by RIDG (Renewable Infrastructure Development Group), a member company of RenewableUK, the transmission charges set by the regulator Ofgem and paid by electricity generators in the country are criticised in comparison to competing European generators.
On average the report suggests EU generators pay £0.46/MWh in transmission system charges. However, in Scotland the average is £6.42/MWh as of 2021.
This difference is even starker in the windy north of Scotland where the price spikes to £7.36/MWh.
“The UK has the best wind resource in Europe, and we should be making the most of the clean electricity we’re producing for UK consumers at the lowest cost and ensuring we can export the massive amount of power we’re generating when there’s a surplus,” said RenewableUK’s director of future electricity systems Barnaby Wharton.
“The current approach to transmission grid charging is not sustainable if we want global Britain to become a bigger player in the international power market. If Ofgem is serious about supporting UK’s net zero emissions target, it should change its approach to ensure we can take advantage of the bountiful natural resources we have.
“Ofgem needs to have a specific net zero remit to ensure we maximise our zero carbon generation as a matter of urgency – and this should be addressed by Ministers alongside the government’s forthcoming Strategy and Policy Statement for Ofgem.”
Transmission charges are set to cover the cost of building and maintaining the network, and are ultimately paid by consumers as part of their bills.
At their current levels, the UK risks becoming a net importer of renewable energy from the EU in coming decades, as cheaper energy is favoured in comparison with that generated in the UK that is subject to the transmission charges.
“Of 36 countries in the European transmission network, 20 do not charge generators at all and only five levy charges based on location,” expanded associate director of RIDG Marc Smeed. “Compare this to Scottish offshore wind projects, which our analysis forecasts will pay £10/MWh – around a quarter of a project’s revenue – to access the grid in the years ahead.
“Addressing this imbalance would help unlock the best wind energy resources in Europe, bringing billions of pounds of investment and jobs to some of the most remote and disadvantaged parts of the UK.”
The report follows criticism from network operator Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) of the current Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charging regime, which it has described as “unfair and volatile”. Similarly it highlighted that the current system makes wind generation in the north of Scotland particularly expensive.