Stakeholder position: Institute of Electrical Engineers

Institute of Electrical Engineers

The IEE believes that a prudent energy policy should aim to safeguard security of supply by maintaining a balanced portfolio of energy options.

All conventional and low carbon power generation technologies presently hold various types and levels of risk.

These can only be balanced out by maintaining a degree of diversity. The principle of diversity should apply to the primary sources, the development of technologies, the physical assets, and the knowledge essential to maintain them, in order to ensure the UK’s adaptability to future energy demands.

The existing market mechanisms may not provide enough long term risk assurance to promote private sector investment in large scale projects or innovative technologies.

Such conditions are presently working against diversification, leading instead to a portfolio heavily skewed towards gas and wind. In the long term this trend could increase the overall level of risk to the security of supply and the affordability of energy.