As the global community accelerates towards a more sustainable, low-carbon future, individual nations are closely observed and evaluated for their progress in energy transition. In this context, Darren Davidson, the head of the UK division of Siemens Energy, recently voiced concerns about the country’s sluggish pace in advancing towards their ambitious energy targets.
Siemens Energy, a prominent player in the energy sector and with a roster of 6,000 UK employees, has significant claims on the country’s energy landscape, operates a factory in Hull that manufactures blades for offshore wind turbines. However, Davidson claims that the UK’s current rate of progress in offshore wind energy will not meet the set objectives.
Davidson described the urgency of the situation candidly: “We’re not fast enough. I think it’s clear to everyone. We need to improve or, I would say, help to do things faster.” According to Davidson, unless efforts are intensified, the goal of achieving 50 gigawatts of offshore wind around the UK will remain unfulfilled. This stark pronouncement asserts that the country needs to make a determined push for change.
Although the UK has successfully reduced its annual carbon emissions significantly in recent decades, the road to achieving net-zero – a state where the amount of carbon absorbed, for instance, by trees, matches or exceeds the emissions – remains long and challenging. The government’s vow to construct adequate renewable energy infrastructure, where all grid-supplied electricity comes from decarbonised sources, heavily leans on wind power. However, other technologies like solar power and nuclear energy are also being considered in this mix.
Another promising alternative is hydrogen, which can be used to generate electricity in a more climate-friendly manner. Advocates for this method argue that wind power can be harnessed to produce hydrogen during windy nights and other periods when power production is more than required. In times of high demand or low wind speeds, this stored hydrogen can be utilised to generate electricity. As a matter of fact, Siemens Energy is already catering to gas plants that can transition to burning hydrogen in the future.
Davidson acknowledges the role this element may play, stating: “Hydrogen would give us that peaking plant back-up power. I see that being part of our future from an energy storage perspective.” The challenge is to erect 30 gigawatts of hydrogen power in the UK, which, as per Davidson, is currently “slightly behind wind” power.
This critique by Davidson, only three months into his role as Vice President of Siemens Energy UK&I and Siemens Gamesa UK, is a stinging wake-up call to the UK government and private sector players about the need for a more aggressive thrust towards cleaner energy.
