Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential environmental impact and carbon emissions associated with the development of gas-fired power plants.

Renewables need to be complemented by flexible technologies which can provide power when the wind is not blowing, or the sun does not shine.

The Climate Change Committee’s independent analysis finds that a power sector without unabated gas in 2035 would be “likely to increase costs and delivery risks”. Their power sector analysis sees unabated gas providing around 2% of total electricity generation in 2035.

In the future, unabated gas plants will only run a limited number of hours per year, and we expect all new plants to be net zero ready.