We must do more to back green energy

Some commentators were quick to blindly blame renewable energy for the power cut last month.

It is now clear that a number of factors contributed, including faults at a gas-fired power station.

Our energy system is one of the most reliable in the world and is becoming more reliable even as we adopt more renewables. Which is fortunate because the future is inexorably renewable – wind and solar are already the cheapest new forms of generation, and have massive public support.

The real question raised by the power cut is whether the Government and regulator Ofgem have fully realised how quickly things are changing.

Richard Black,

Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit