Clean Power 2030 builds stability by cutting import reliance

The report finds that the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan will reduce gas imports for power generation by 57% by 2030, but notes that the UK remains vulnerable to price shocks due to continued import reliance in heating, transport, and biomass power. It argues that transitioning to heat pumps and electric vehicles would significantly lower import dependence and household costs, as a 2030 heat pump is forecast to be 85% less reliant on imports than a gas boiler.

• The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan is estimated to reduce gas imports for electricity generation by 57% by 2030, as renewable energy displaces gas power. This reduction is critical because UK gas production is in long-term decline, with import reliance for gas supply forecast to rise from 45% in 2023 to over 75% by 2030.
• The UK remains heavily dependent on imported fuels across multiple sectors: 45% of gas supply, 44% of oil products (such as diesel), and approximately 95% of wood pellets used in large-scale biomass power generation are imported.
• Electrifying domestic heating would significantly reduce import reliance and costs. By 2030, a heat pump is forecast to be 85% less reliant on imports than a gas boiler, using only 1 MWh of imported primary energy compared to 6.1 MWh of imported gas for a boiler.
• Transport fuels represent the largest component of household energy expenditure and are highly exposed to global market volatility. While oil demand has fallen by 23% since 2000, import reliance for oil is projected to rise from 44% in 2023 to 60% by 2030 due to declining domestic production.
• Biomass power generation is almost entirely reliant on imported wood pellets, leaving generators exposed to price shocks. While the Clean Power 2030 plan does not explicitly target biomass reductions, recent government decisions to limit subsidies for the Drax power station may facilitate a long-term reduction in biomass power.
• Interconnectors allow the UK to trade electricity with neighbours, which helps balance the power system and stabilise prices. The UK imports an average of 5% of its yearly electricity supply (2013-2023) and is forecast to become a net exporter of electricity by 2030.

APA

Mayo, F. (2025). Clean Power 2030 builds stability by cutting import reliance. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/02/Clean-Power-2030-builds-stability-by-cutting-import-reliance.pdf

Chicago

Mayo, Frankie. Clean Power 2030 builds stability by cutting import reliance. Ember, 2025. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/02/Clean-Power-2030-builds-stability-by-cutting-import-reliance.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mayo |first1=Frankie |title=Clean Power 2030 builds stability by cutting import reliance |publisher=Ember |date=3 March 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/02/Clean-Power-2030-builds-stability-by-cutting-import-reliance.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mayo2025clean, author = {Mayo, Frankie}, title = {{Clean Power 2030 builds stability by cutting import reliance}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/02/Clean-Power-2030-builds-stability-by-cutting-import-reliance.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }