intended to put in place measures to attract the £110 billion investment which is needed to replace current generating capacity and upgrade the grid by 2020 to cope with a rising demand for electricity. The Act includes provisions for Contracts for Difference which are long-term contracts intended to provide stable and predictable incentives for companies to invest in low-carbon generation. It also provides transition arrangements for investments under the Renewables Obligation scheme, introduced in 2000 this was the main financial incentive for renewable electricity developments in the UK.
3.3.2.2 Meeting requirements of EU directives 36.
In response to the requirements of The Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC (discussed in section 3.2.2), DECC published the National Renewable Energy Action Plan for the UK in July 2010 (DECC 2010). This plan sets out a ‘lead scenario’ to achieve the 15% renewable energy target for 2020. The lead scenario suggests that the UK could see around 30% of electricity, 12% heat and 10% transport energy come from renewable sources by 2020.
37.
Specific measures for renewables were set out in the UK Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) which was published alongside and in parallel with the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan in July 2009 (DECC 2009a and 2009b). The RES sets out the path by which the UK can meet the legally-binding target of 15% energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020.
38.
The Renewable Energy Roadmap (DECC 2011a, amended in DECC 2012 and DECC 2013) updates some of the aims within the RES and identifies eight technologies capable of providing 90% of the renewable energy required to meet the UK's 2020 target of 15% of energy consumption derived from renewable sources. It suggests that offshore wind has the potential to be generating up to 16GW by 2020. Beyond 2020, there is a very high potential for deployment with over 39GWpossible by 2030 (DECC 2013).
3.3.3 Managing and improving the environment
3.3.3.1 The Planning Act 2008 39.
The Planning Act 2008 (as amended by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and the Localism Act 2011) is the primary legislation which establishes the legal framework for applying for, examining and determining development consent applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).
40. NSIPs are usually large scale developments such as new harbours or power generating stations, which require a type of consent known as the Development
Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014
East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm
Chapter 3 Policy and Legislative Context Page 8
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