Industry News2011 is to be a "pivotal" year for the UK energy industry, with events in the coming months deciding if the country will be able to meet its supply security and environmental targets, according to National Grid. The head of the UK's transmission system operator, Steve Holliday told press that the Government's decisions this year on energy reform will be vital and need to be enacted upon as soon as possible.
Holliday is hoping to see greater co-ordination between developers, Government policy and connection regulations for new wind projects. He also sees the closure of older power plants as an opportunity to enhance the development of green generation.
However, he underlined that this would only occur if the Government created the right conditions for this to occur. There were also concerns expressed over a potential skills gap in order to meet the challenges ahead. As such, the energy industry may employ more staff from overseas rather than using the UK labour base.
Holliday commented, "This is a very important year - it will be pivotal...We are seeing huge changes, and we urgently need to rejuvenate the UK's energy infrastructure. We need joined-up government and real commitment."