News
Policy Brief on Energy Policy published
The Policy Centre has published a new policy brief – on the important subject of Energy Policy. Jersey is a consumer rather than a producer of energy. The Brief seeks to explain all aspects of energy supply and consumption in the Island and analyses key policy issues. The Brief draws on the latest statistics including the annual Energy Trends report published by Statistics Jersey today.
Key points made in the brief are –
- Energy consumption in Jersey has fallen by 44% since the mid-1990s and there has been a significant switch away from electricity being generated from oil to electricity being generated by nuclear and hydro power.
- Of total energy consumed in Jersey in 2023, 57% was provided by oil, 39% by electricity and 4% by gas. Oil is the major fuel for vehicles and heating. Electricity is imported from France through three undersea cables and is either nuclear or hydro in origin. Domestic users accounted for 39% of energy use, industry and government for 27%, road transport for 25% and air and marine for 8%.
- Energy policy has to reconcile three competing objectives – sustainability, security and affordability.
- Jersey is committed at a minimum to reduce emissions by 68% compared to the 1990 baseline by 2030, reduce them to 78% from the baseline by 2035, and deliver net-zero emissions by 2050. The evidence suggests that these targets are not capable of being met.
- Jersey does not currently have an energy strategy. The Carbon Neutral Roadmap (CNR) is currently a key document in respect to energy policy. The official view is that the proposal for export scale offshore wind energy would transform energy strategy.
- The four big issues that Jersey needs to address are –
o How to reduce use of fossil fuels for transport and heating, essential if the CNR targets are to be seriously pursued. Current policies are not nearly sufficient in this respect.
o How the increased demand for electricity will be met given reduced use of fossil fuels. Jersey Electricity estimates that the growth in electricity usage to meet the island’s net-zero 2050 target will increase peak demand by 25%.
o Whether the Government will require Jersey Electricity to work on the assumption that it will buy its electricity from the wind farm from when it becomes operational.
o Whether there is scope for Jersey and Guernsey to work together on energy strategy.
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