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Mayor confirms first steps towards powering Tube with renewable energy

Created on
27 June 2022
  • Mayor announces first step towards powering the Tube network with 100 per cent renewable source electricity through the launch of a Power Purchase Agreement tender
  • Sadiq opens London Climate Action Week with confirmation that London has signed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, advocating a move away from our reliance on fossil fuels

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced today (Monday 27 June) that London’s Tube network is moving a step closer to being powered entirely by renewable source electricity, which will help to meet his target of the capital reaching net-zero carbon by 2030.

Marking the start of London Climate Action Week, the Mayor revealed that Transport for London has launched a Power Purchase Agreement tender, with the ambition of using 100 per cent renewable source electricity across its operations by 2030 and catalysing investment into renewable infrastructure. This first tender aims to purchase approximately 10 per cent of TfL’s required electricity from renewable energy sources and new build assets.

TfL is one of the largest consumers of electricity in the UK, with a requirement for up to 1.6TWh per year, which is equivalent to the electricity consumed by around 420,000 homes [1] or 12 per cent of homes across London. The tender will guarantee that the electricity supplied to power the Tube and TfL’s operations through the contract will come from renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar power. TfL’s large demand for renewable source electricity will help increase demand for new solar and wind generation in the UK, which will help to create new green jobs and support the economy.

Demonstrating London’s commitment to action, Sadiq also announced that London has signed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, a global plan to phase out fossil fuels production and accelerate a just and fair transition to clean energy. According to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, coal, oil and gas are responsible for 86 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions in the past decade. The world is on track to produce more than twice as much coal, oil and gas by 2030.

In the run up to COP27 later this year, London is leading the way as the largest global city to sign up to the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. This builds on the work the Mayor is already doing to divest from fossil fuel companies, which includes working with the London Pensions Fund Authority (LPFA) to divest from all the extractive fossil fuel companies within their listed equity portfolio, and co-chairing with the Mayor of New York the C40 Divestment/Investment network, which now has 18 C40 cities signed up with pension funds worth over $400 billion committed to divestment.

The Mayor of London and Chair of C40 Cities, Sadiq Khan, said:

“When it comes to tackling air pollution and the climate emergency, I’m determined to ensure that London continues to take bold action. As many national governments around world dither, cities have a responsibility to act and to show what’s possible. We are the doers, not the delayers.

“The main cause of the climate emergency is fossil fuels so I’m calling on cities around the world to follow London’s lead and to commit to phasing out their use.

“The cost of inaction to our economies, livelihoods, the environment and the health of Londoners is far greater than the cost of transitioning to net-zero - and we simply don’t have time to waste. This first step to powering the Tube network and TfL’s wider operations with 100 per cent renewable source electricity is another crucial part of reducing carbon emissions and building a better, greener London for everyone.”

Lilli Matson, Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer at TfL, said: “As one of the largest electricity consumers in the UK, we are absolutely committed to doing what we can to decarbonise London through clean, renewable energy. TfL is already a world leader in many environmental initiatives, and we are pleased to have now started procurement on our first Power Purchase Agreement which forms the next major step in our quest to make all our services powered via renewable electricity by 2030.

“Once in place, approximately 10 per cent of our required electricity will come from renewable energy sources, delivered by ‘new build assets’. These will support the wider UK economy by creating green jobs in construction and operation.”

Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty: “By endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, London is embodying the kind of leadership that the national government must follow to become a true climate leader. Phasing-out coal, oil and gas and investing in renewable energy would enable the UK to address both the source of the climate crisis and the rising energy prices that are putting thousands of lives at risk. London’s support for the Treaty, which complements that of seven other cities across the country, can only inspire the government to stop expanding oil and gas projects and make way for a future based on renewable energy, security and health for all.”

[1] Source: Based on the annual average domestic electricity consumption (2017) taken from the London Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

Notes to editors

 

About LEGGI

  • The London Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventory (LEGGI) is an emission inventory which quantifies pollution releases to the environment. It also quantifies the pollutants removed through Land Use, Land Change and Forestry sector activities.
  • It is produced on an annual basis to measure progress against the Mayor's CO2  reduction targets for London. Since 2020 it is also used to meet the reporting requirements for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM).

 

About London Climate Action Week

 

  • London Climate Action Week (LCAW) is harnessing the power of London for global climate action. The annual event brings together the city's world-leading array of climate professionals and communities. Now in its third year, LCAW creates space for participants to come together and find global solutions to climate change.
  • The week-long event is for everyone, creating space for both those inside and outside the climate world to present London's action on climate change to a global audience, and run by E3G, the independent climate change think tank.
  • LCAW embraces Londoners' various international heritages, connections, and experiences, which create a uniquely global experience. This can be seen in LCAW's culturally-rich events and initiatives, with impacts reaching far beyond London's geographic boundaries.
  • LCAW is all about creating an ambitious and lively climate cluster to tackle climate issues throughout the week and beyond

 

About the Fossil Fuel Treaty

 

  • The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is a global plan to phase out fossil fuels production and accelerate a global energy transition. It places equity at the centre so no country, community or worker is left behind in the shift to clean energy and zero carbon solutions.
  • The treaty calls for three things: Phasing-out fossil fuel production through regulating fossil fuel supply, limiting extraction, removing subsidies for production, defending the rights of Indigenous Peoples and impacted communities.
  • Shifting financial support to renewable energy - such as wind and solar - and improving the energy efficiency of homes and businesses.
  • Fast-tracking real solutions and a just transition for every worker, community and country affected by the shift away from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives.

 

About the Power Purchase Agreement

 

  • Renewable PPAs are long-term contracts with renewable generators for purchase of their electricity. These contracts can reduce exposure to changes in the wholesale energy market, providing cost certainty and long-term cost savings, while also helping meet climate change targets through developing new renewable energy generation projects.  
  • The launch of the tender forms part of TfL’s long-term strategy to ensure that ultimately all the electricity it uses is generated by 100 per cent renewable sources. By using a phased approach, TfL can also benefit through being able to learn and adapt as the renewable market evolves. 
  • This tender will guarantee that the electricity supplied is from renewable energy sources, comprising wind or solar power, rather than a mix of power generators that emit carbon into the atmosphere. By confirming the demand for renewable energy, the PPA will also lead to the creation of new build assets across the UK, such as solar or wind generation, by enabling the selected supplier to confidently invest in the delivery of new renewable energy sources. This in turn supports the wider UK economy, as well as the country’s green recovery, by creating green jobs in both construction and operation.
  • TfL’s Corporate Environment Plan can be found here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-corporate-environment-plan-29-september-2021-acc.pdf

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