Boris unveils plan for Green Britain... but at what cost?

Boris unveils plan for Green Britain... but at what cost?
Boris unveils plan for Green Britain... but at what cost?
Boris's net zero blueprint (all 368 (pages of it)  

Boris Johnson's net zero strategy commits the UK to a raft of changes over the next two decades designed to make sure the UK does its bit for climate change.

Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, released today, runs to some 368 pages, setting out plans to green up every aspect of life.

Homes, vehicles, government buildings and even jobs themselves will have to meet environmental criteria that aids the target of net zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century. 

The document includes:

Plans for a new £450million three-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme will see households offered grants of up to £5,000 for low-carbon heating systems so they cost the same as a gas boiler now.   Domestic heat pumps, which use air or the earth's warmth to provide hot water, should be as affordable as gas equivalents by 2030. The Government wants 600,000 installed every year by 2028, with costs cut between 25 and 50 per cent by 2025.  Total ban on gas boilers from 2035 after a furious backlash from Tory MPs and homeowners. Instead, the Government has said it will set 'an ambition that by 2035, no new gas boilers will be sold'. The Prime Minister pledges that British homeowners do not pay the price for going green. In his foreword to the report he says: 'We will make sure what you pay for green, clean electricity is competitive with carbon-laden gas, and with most of our electricity coming from the wind farms of the North Sea or state-of-the-art British nuclear reactors we will reduce our vulnerability to sudden price rises caused by fluctuating international fossil fuel markets.' 

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Boris Johnson today unveiled his plan for turning Britain green by 2050 - with clean flights, a shift to electric cars by 2035, and gas boilers out by 2030.

The PM has published the most detailed proposals yet for how the country will achieve the ambition and contribute to the fight against climate change, rejecting alarm at the potential costs to consumers and business.

As well as action to reduce carbon produced by aviation and road transport, there will be a focus on encouraging homeowners to be more environmentally-conscious. That could include incentivising mortgage lenders to prioritise priorities with better energy ratings.      

In typically bullish style, Mr Johnson insisted that he is not afraid to 'lead the charge' - saying 'history has never been made by those who sit at the back of the class'.

He claimed that Russia and China are 'following our lead' - even though both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are expected to snub the COP26 summit in a fortnight, where the premier wants world leaders to commit to slashing carbon emissions.   

The government says that switching from fossil fuels to clean energy, including wind, new nuclear and hydrogen, can ease the reliance on imports and protect families from price spikes. It says 440,000 'well-paid' jobs can be created over the next decade.  

However, there are growing concerns from the Tory backbenches at the consequences of the push, with fears that the bill will be unsustainable and put the UK at a competitive disadvantage. 

In a foreword, to the document - titled Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener - Mr Johnson said: 'The United Kingdom is not afraid to lead the charge towards global net zero at COP26, because history has never been made by those who sit at the back of the class hoping not to be called on. 

'Indeed, as we set an example to the world by showing that reaching Net Zero is entirely possible, so the likes of China and Russia are following our lead with their own net zero targets, as prices tumble and green tech becomes the global norm.'   

Earlier, Mr Johnson vowed to make Britain the 'Qatar of hydrogen' as he wooed businesses chiefs including Bill Gates at a glitzy summit - urging them to invest 'trillions' in tackling climate change.

The PM gave a speech and chatted to the Microsoft billionaire on stage as he asked industry leaders to commit funding to decarbonising the world economy - insisting 'green is good, green is right'.

He said the UK had a responsibility to act on cutting emissions as 'we were the first to knit the deadly tea cosy of CO2' - pointing to the 'big bets' the government is making on electric vehicles and gigafactories for battery production.

Mr Johnson also played down concerns that the looming COP26 summit in Glasgow will be a failure, saying he is hoping for a 'good turnout' of world leaders.  

In a foreword, to the government document - titled Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener - Boris Johnson said the UK would 'lead the charge'

In a foreword, to the government document - titled Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener - Boris Johnson said the UK would 'lead the charge'

The Net Zero plan sets out a pathway for how various elements need to reduce their carbon emissions over the coming years

The Net Zero plan sets out a pathway for how various elements need to reduce their carbon emissions over the coming years

Boris Johnson chatted to the Microsoft billionaire on stage as he asked industry leaders to commit funding to decarbonising the world economy - insisting 'green is good, green is right'.

Boris Johnson chatted to the Microsoft billionaire on stage as he asked industry leaders to commit funding to decarbonising the world economy - insisting 'green is good, green is right'.

Mr Johnson is pressing ahead with plans to phase out the installation of conventional gas boilers in the next 15 years, despite Conservative warnings that the move could spark fury among the public

Mr Johnson is pressing ahead with plans to phase out the installation of conventional gas boilers in the next 15 years, despite Conservative warnings that the move could spark fury among the public 

Boris Johnson wants to push Britain towards new sources of energy for homes, including hydrogen, left, and ground source heat pumps, right

Boris Johnson wants to push Britain towards new sources of energy for homes, including hydrogen, left, and ground source heat pumps, right

The problems with the PM's plan to scrap gas boilers in 14 years

THE PLAN

What the PM wants: No more gas boilers from 2035.

How much it will cost: £500million of taxpayers' cash on new hydrogen tech

THE PROBLEMS 

High costs of alternatives: A new gas-fired boiler costs about £1,500 with installation, compared to £19,000 for a ground source heat pump or £10,000 for an air source heat pump

Still in development: Hydrogen boilers are not even on the market yet, with Worcester Bosch making a prototype - and their cost is therefore unknown

Effect on house prices: Boilers are normally installed in new builds before people move in, meaning the cost would be factored into the house price 

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At the business summit, Mr Johnson said there were $24trillion represented in the room at the Science Museum conference London. 

'I can deploy billions – with the approval of the Chancellor, obviously – but you in this room, you can deploy trillions,' he said.

'I want to say to each and every one of those dollars, you are very welcome to the UK and you have come to the right place at the right time.'

He said hydrogen would be a significant part of the solution to replacing fossil fuels. 'To drive a digger or a truck or to hurl a massive passenger plane down a runway, you need what Jeremy Clarkson used to call ''grunt'' – I think there may be a technical term for it – but ''grunt''.

'Hydrogen provides that grunt, so we are making big bets on hydrogen, we are making bets on solar and hydro, and, yes – of course – on nuclear as well, for our baseload.'  

Mr Johnson channelled the spirit of Michael Douglas's character from the film Wall Street as he told business chiefs: 'To adapt Gordon Gekko – who may or may not be a hero of anybody in this room – green is good, green is right, green works.' 

The UK Government has already committed £200million for the development and demonstration of projects for green hydrogen, long-term energy storage, sustainable aviation fuels and direct air capture of CO2 as part of a £1 billion portfolio of investments. 

Mr Johnson and Mr Gates announced that the Breakthrough Energy Catalyst will match that £200million funding over 10 years to help develop the cutting-edge technologies.

The PM said: 'It will help to bring innovative technologies to market globally, while building new skills and creating high-quality jobs across the UK.'

Mr Gates said the partnership would 'accelerate the deployment of these critical climate solutions, helping to make them more affordable and accessible'.

Downing Street dismissed questions about whether it was appropriate for the PM's to share a stage with Mr Gates after he was criticised for his acquaintance with Jeffrey Epstein. 

'Our focus is on working with those individuals who are committed to working on this issue,' the PM's spokesman said.  

However, despite the enthusiastic words, Mr Johnson seems to have ditched the idea of a total ban on gas boilers from 2035 in the face of anger from Tory MPs and homeowners. Instead there will be a 'target' for all new installations to be environmentally-friendly options such as heat pumps. 

Families will be encouraged to install low-carbon systems from April with £5,000 grants, costing taxpayers in England and Wales at least £450million.

But the funding will cover just 90,000 heat pump installations over three years - far short of the PM's goal of 600,000 a year by 2028. 

Mr Johnson has launched the Heat and Buildings Strategy, mapping out how the UK will move away from polluting energy sources in homes and public buildings. 

It comes amid signs of rising tension between Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak as the Treasury warned of 'diminishing returns' from green investment - at a time when the UK's post-Covid economic recovery has slowed amid rising inflation and widespread shortages.

Prince Charles has increased the pressure on minister to act on climate change by describing how his grandson Prince George has been learning how global warming is causing 'the big storms, and floods, the droughts, fires and food shortages' around the world. 

In an interview with Bloomberg last night, Mr Johnson said: 'The UK is deciding to make a big bet on green technology so the government is going in, setting the regulatory framework to encourage the private sector to come in, in the way that they are - and I've quoted some of the numbers for the investment that we are seeing. 

'So we are making a big bet on wind power, on hydrogen, on electric vehicles, on gigafactories, on carbon capture and storage, all those things. And that's driving a lot of the investment.' 

Speaking to broadcasters this morning, Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan confirmed that the government was stopping short of introducing a future ban on gas boilers.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'At the moment we're encouraging the market to drive those changes.'

However, she did not rule out forcing the move later. 

'In the short term, yes, of course this is a voluntary scheme,' she said.

'There will be a point at which that changes but, yes, for now that's the case.' 

The Government unveils its details plans for achieving Net Zero today, detailing the full list of changes being adopted so that the UK can reduce its carbon emissions to 'net zero' by 2050.

Mr Johnson will deliver a speech outlining the case for the drive to go green, with less than two weeks before world leaders descend on Glasgow for the COP26 climate change summit.  

Writing in The Sun, the Prime Minister vowed 'the greenshirts of the boiler police' won't kick down doors to rip out dirty gas boilers and said no one will have their 'trusty old combi' torn out by 'sandal-clad' inspectors. 

'We're going to make carbon-free alternatives cheaper to install so that when you or your landlord next come to replace your boiler it makes more sense to go with a cleaner, more efficient replacement that you know will help the planet,' Mr Johnson added.

The boiler plans are outlined in the Government's long-awaited 'heat and buildings strategy', to be published today. 

How we are increasingly – and so expensively – dependent on gas 

Ministers are desperate to reduce Britain's dependence on gas as soaring wholesale prices have sent domestic and business energy bills rocketing, writes Harriet Dennys.

An analysis of the UK's energy supply shows how gas is responsible for around 40 per cent of the overall mix.

Wind power provided almost a fifth of our electricity last month but its contribution fluctuates throughout the year

Wind power provided almost a fifth of our electricity last month but its contribution fluctuates throughout the year

Wind power provided almost a fifth of our electricity last month but its contribution fluctuates throughout the year. It hit a peak of 26 per cent in February.

Our electricity comes from several other sources: nuclear, hydro, biomass, imports and the sun. But amounts vary considerably depending on the season, weather and time of day.

Solar power peaks in June, providing an average 7 per cent of our needs, but was just 0.6 per cent last December. Last week, the sun supplied 3.5 per cent of the UK's energy.

As gas prices soared last month, old coal plants had to be fired up to help meet electricity needs. Coal, which Ministers want to phase out, contributed two per cent of our electricity mix in September, up from 0.5 per cent a year previously.

Imports increased from seven per cent to ten per cent

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