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<p>This Government is committed to delivering net zero emissions by 2050 which will
require significant effort in all sectors. We are currently considering next steps
in the light of the recent commitment to net zero. In power, we have made great progress
in decarbonising electricity generation whilst meeting demand, and over half our electricity
generation was from low-carbon sources last year, up from 23% in 2010.</p><p> </p><p>As
we continue to reduce emissions the exact mix of the electricity system will be affected
by the approach to decarbonisation in other sectors, technology costs and the emergence
of new technologies. It is not for government to prescribe the proportion of generation
that will come from any specific technology in 2050; rather the role of government
will be to enable the market to deliver the levels of deployment required whilst minimising
both emissions and systems costs.</p><p> </p><p>A diverse mix is likely to be required.
We agree with the CCC Net Zero report that the falling cost of renewables means that
they are likely to provide the majority of capacity in any low cost, low carbon system.
Renewable generation would be complimented with firm low-carbon generation provided
from sources such as nuclear and gas or biomass generation with carbon capture, usage
and storage. In addition, we expect to see a significant increase in the levels of
flexibility and storage in the electricity system.</p><p> </p><p>We will be setting
out our more detailed plans in due course in a future White Paper.</p>
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