Jason Koffler, CEO of Critical Power Supplies, comments on plans announced yesterday by UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, for new power stations,
Sirs,
Claire Coutinho has announced new power stations today and a full review of the electricity market and changes to the law to make the plants ready to convert to low-carbon alternatives.
The government is right to prioritise grid security, especially as electricity demand and climate threats rise.
But we cannot lose sight of the country’s transition to renewable energy and our collective responsibility to reach net zero.
Moving toward a more decentralised and low carbon-focused grid is paramount, but this is dependent on two things – the government’s continued investment in renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, and the ability of businesses to be power resilient and adaptable in the face of so much disruption.
The latter means investment in resilient infrastructure, developing comprehensive contingency plans, collaborating with local authorities and utilities providers, understanding their climate risk, and training both leadership and employee teams.
At a local level, batteries are needed to prevent grid-wide or site-specific blackouts.
The alternative is to go home before the torch on your smartphone dies.
Jason Koffler
CEO
Critical Power Supplies
