It’s a revolution. There are certainly hidden costs to renewable power. A core, steady electricity supply, independent of changing weather, is vital. This will become increasingly available as the nuclear power station Hinkley C comes on stream in 2030; then through small modular nuclear reactors where Britain is a pioneer, the first of which has been commissioned from Rolls-Royce SMR, in Anglesey (Ynys Môn); and then Sizewell C. Even so, for days that are calm or have short daylight hours, the potential electricity production capacity will have to be supplemented by something that can readily be turned on and off, which is not true of nuclear. Step in expensive fossil fuels, which offer such flexibility – but whose role, while crucial, will be marginal.
