The UK has a new Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which aims to cut the use of gas power, but electrification is urgent to tackle energy imports across the rest of the economy. To stabilise energy bills the UK must cut imported fuels across the economy.
This report reviews the forecasted changes to fuel imports according to the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan – which was published in December 2024. The action plan has been used in combination with the NESO (National Electricity System Operator) 2030 Clean Power report to estimate changes to imported fuels between present baseline and 2030.
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Executive summary
Electrification extends the energy security benefits of Clean Power 2030
Despite Clean Power 2030 targeting gas use in the power sector, the wider UK economy remains dependent on imported fossil fuels. To stabilise energy bills the UK must cut imported fuels across the economy.
The UK’s imports of oil, gas, and biomass expose it to ongoing market volatility and supply disruption. Electrification of both heating and transport cuts fossil fuel import reliance and builds energy stability across the economy by making the best use of an increasingly efficient and independent UK power supply.
Key takeaways
01
Clean Power 2030 will halve gas imports for power generation
Ember finds that the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which aims to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and cut fossil fuel use, will slash an estimated 57% of gas imports by 2030.
02
Transport and home heating remain highly exposed to energy imports
Transport fuels, currently 40% imported, cost the average UK household more than electricity or gas. Reducing oil consumption through electrification represents a significant opportunity to cut energy bills and import reliance. For heating, by 2030 a heat pump will be 85% less reliant on imports, compared to a gas boiler.
03
Biomass is the UK’s third largest fuel import, with production only able to meet 5% of wood pellet demand
Biomass power generation is almost entirely reliant on imports of wood pellets, which means generators are exposed to price rises, as witnessed during the energy crisis when wood pellet prices increased by over a third, and remain well above the pre-crisis average.
Stability is a key benefit of the clean power goal. Cutting UK exposure to international price shocks has benefits for power, for heating and transport. Oil and gas production is in long-term decline, the future energy secure economy will be based on homegrown energy generation.
