ScottishPower has unveiled 10 immediate steps that it says will create jobs and investment to drive the UK’s green recovery following Covid-19 and deliver quick returns for the economy, people and communities.
The ‘Unlocking Net Zero: 10 Practical Steps for a Green Recovery’ report focusses on changes the government could make to quickly boost private investment in the economy and create jobs, ScottishPower said.
Most of these changes would come with minimal cost to the public purse, it added.
“In response to the significant economic upheaval caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has recognised the need to stimulate economic growth in a sustainable and resilient way,” the company said.
The 10 steps provide a roadmap for accelerating investment in green infrastructure initiatives and unlocking significant economic benefits on the path to net zero.
These would create jobs, incentivise investment, and boost the domestic supply chain, ScottishPower added.
The steps focus on four key areas – renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs), low carbon homes, and energy networks.
They include removing the cap on future wind farm contract auctions to boost investment in renewable energy.
Bringing forward the ban on petrol and diesel vehicles to 2030 to encourage people to buy EVs sooner.
Bringing forward the Future Homes Standard from 2025 to 2022 to get more EV chargers and electric heat pumps into people’s homes.
Providing the right environment for greater investment in the electricity network, with the forthcoming transmission networks price control (RIIO T2) an important test case for the scale of the UK’s ambition.
ScottishPower chief executive Keith Anderson (pictured) said: “Our 10 practical steps provide a clear sense of direction and ambition for government and business as we start to come out of this crisis.
“These are achievable and deliverable steps that really are within our grasp – providing immediate, inexpensive actions that can be taken now to give an immediate boost to the economy and provide long-term environmental benefits.
“We don’t need over-ambitious new programmes or giant innovations to deliver the necessary transformation.
“We need to build low carbon homes, get people into electric cars and construct new wind farms.
“We can do all these things, and do them quickly, with just small changes to existing government rules and regulations. It really is a no-brainer.
“The time is now and there isn’t a moment to waste if we want to achieve a better future, quicker.
“ScottishPower has worked hard during this crisis to keep power flowing to homes and businesses, generate clean energy, support our customers and keep our colleagues safe.
“Now we need to start building our future and we are demonstrating just how easily that can be done.
“With our 10 practical steps, we show how the green recovery can become a reality. And it can be done at little or zero cost to government.
“Investment can be stimulated, jobs can be created and we can move closer to a cleaner, greener future.
“All of that is possible by unlocking net zero, and ScottishPower will continue to be at the forefront of making that happen.”
The report can be found here.
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