Engineering community welcomes energy national policy statement

The professional engineering community has joined forces to welcome the announcement of a consultation into the proposed energy National Policy Statement (NPS).

If introduced, the energy NPS will help to establish future needs for energy infrastructure taking into account environmental targets, and speed up the process of delivering the much needed infrastructure.

The NPSs would form the foundation of a new planning regime, giving clarity on the social, environmental and economic need for infrastructure and providing a basis for the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) to decide whether applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects should be approved. Energy is one of twelve infrastructure sectors the Government plans to produce NPSs for.

Operating under the banner of Engineering the Future, the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Institution of Chemical Engineers, Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Engineering and Technology Board and the Royal Academy of Engineering are unanimous in their support for the introduction of the NPSs and will be giving strong support to DECC to ensure that the statements are based on sound engineering principles and a rigorous consultation process.

The group believes the energy NPS will be vital in delivering the energy infrastructure the UK will need in coming years, especially in setting the agenda for developing all forms of low carbon and renewable energy sources and reducing the UK’s increasing dependence on imported gas.

Speaking of the behalf of the alliance ICE Director General Tom Foulkes said: "We have ambitious emissions targets to meet in the near future. Developing low carbon and renewable energy sources and the electricity network infrastructure to connect them will be essential. The energy National Policy Statement must outline the strategic need for our energy supply to be decarbonised in the long-term."

The six engineering bodies are united in their view that the new planning system is long overdue and must be implemented without delay. "Our existing energy infrastructure is ageing and requires a major overhaul to meet future needs. Speeding up the planning system is crucial if we are to meet the UK’s future energy needs."

"In conjunction with the IPC, the NPSs should help prevent delays by providing the framework for a more efficient process of delivery."

The consultation was announced by the Department for Climate Change and will be finalised in stages during 2010.