The UK government has supported the development of renewable energy in several ways, including:
Government funding: The UK government has provided funding for innovative projects that capture and store renewable energy for later use. In April 2023, the government awarded £30 million in funding for these projects
Renewables Obligation (RO): The RO is a government support scheme for large-scale renewable electricity generation in the UK. It puts an obligation on licensed electricity suppliers to source a proportion of their electricity from renewable sources
Financial support: The UK government has provided financial support for established renewable energy technologies such as solar and offshore wind, which are some of the cheapest domestic energy sources available. This support helps to ensure that the UK remains a global leader in renewable energy
Policy targets: The UK government has set policy targets for energy providers to transition to an electricity system with 100% zero-carbon generation by 2035. This target encourages the use of renewable energy sources and helps to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint
Despite these efforts, a recent report commissioned by the Liberal Democrats found that fossil fuel producers have received £20bn more in government support than renewable energy producers since 2015