Ed Miliband’s net zero goals have been branded a ‘fantasy’ (Image: Getty)
Ed Miliband’s net zero plans have been branded a “fantasy”, with claims the cost and timeline of the goal have been hugely underestimated.
Michael Kelly, emeritus professor of technology at Cambridge University, has sent the Energy Secretary a detailed letter outlining why the green plans will never be achieved.
Mr Kelly’s in-depth research and analysis show the cost of net zero will hit £4.4trillion. This would equate to £100,000 per UK household to retrofit every building and electrify ground transport and heat.
The transition of the National Grid to renewable energy sources will also cost £100billion in the short term. That cost includes the building of wind farms, solar panels and and battery storage systems.
The cost of transitioning the National Grid to renewable energy sources could cost £100bn (Image: Getty)
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The Labour Party has pledged to turbocharge the rollout of its green policies and achieve “cheap and clean energy” by 2030 across the UK.
In a letter to civil servants after Labour’s election win last year, Mr Miliband said: “In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and cut bills permanently is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy.”
In a speech later in the year, he said the UK should be “incredibly optimistic about what we can do together for our country” given the level of expertise in technical fields.
However, Mr Kelly believes the timeline is “moonshine”, warning the Government that its targets require an engineering workforce that the country does not have.
“It has taken 20 years for renewables to supply 50% of our electricity,” Mr Kelly, who advised the government on energy use in buildings from 2006-09, told GB News.
“Labour’s plan would require us to do the other 50% in just five years. That’s a fourfold increase in pace. Where are the engineers and skilled tradespeople coming from to make that happen?”
Mr Kelly’s letter warned Mr Miliband that net zero risks being a disaster due to the lack of cost estimation and planning.
Labour has pledged to achieve ‘cheap and clean energy’ by 2030 (Image: Getty)
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The letter reads: “To meet net zero, the grid must expand by 170% and every building in the country needs retrofitting.
“These are colossal undertakings requiring tens of thousands of engineers and skilled tradespeople, as well as massive amounts of materials like copper and lithium.”
He warned that “the bills won’t come down” and that “we’re already paying more for electricity now than we did 15 years ago”.
Professor Kelly warns that training new staff would take 12 years while importing skilled workers from abroad is not a viable option.
“This is a global issue,” he explained on GB News. “If we take engineers from India, that’s fewer engineers solving problems there. You can’t just wish away the workforce shortfall.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has been approached for comment.