Energy experts call for Whitehall to correct ‘preposterous’ renewables claims

Two prominent experts have called on Whitehall officials to correct their claims about the future costs of renewable energy. Andrew Montford, director of Net Zero Watch, and economist Professor Gordon Hughes have written to Jeremy Pocklington, the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, noting the extraordinary discrepancies between the underlying assumptions used by officials and real-world data.

Their letter, which was copied to Ed Miliband and to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, calls for Mr Pocklington to take immediate steps to correct the data, which is widely cited as evidence to support claims that Net Zero is affordable.

Professor Hughes said:

DESNZ are assuming that offshore windfarm capital costs will fall by half and operating costs will fall by three quarters, while productivity will increase by half – and all by next year. It is preposterous.

Mr Montford said:

The DESNZ position, that offshore windfarms commissioned next year will deliver power for £44 per megawatt hour is astonishing when set against the contracts at £82 per megawatt hour handed out this week. If Mr Pocklington’s claims are true, then Ed Miliband is grossly overpaying.

Notes for editors

A copy of the letter can be downloaded by clicking on the button below.