The Tony Blair Institute has urged the UK government to reform its Clean Power 2030 targets, warning that rising electrification costs could undermine public and political support for the country’s energy transition.
In a new position paper, the political think tank proposed reframing the government’s flagship goal as “Cheaper Power 2030, Net Zero 2050,” calling for a strategy centred on “cheaper, abundant electricity as the foundation for growth and energy security.”
The institute outlined what it described as a “more pragmatic path” to decarbonisation, recommending that the UK pursue “least-cost pathways” for clean energy development, introduce “localised and temporal market signals” in place of centralised planning, accelerate “radical” planning reforms, use artificial intelligence to improve grid efficiency, and temporarily lift carbon taxes on gas-fired generation until 2030.
“The UK’s current energy strategy risks getting the balance wrong,” the Institute said. “If the transition continues in a way that raises costs, weakens reliability and undermines growth, it will fail both politically and practically. That failure would erode public support at home, damage Britain’s credibility abroad and hand momentum to opponents of climate action.”
The report said the government should refocus its efforts on reducing the cost of electricity within a renewables-based system and ensure that clean energy becomes “the obvious alternative to fossil fuels for households, transport and industry.”
“Doing so requires reform of the Clean Power 2030 mission,” the paper added. “Launched in the middle of the gas crisis and in a low-interest environment, it was right for its time, but circumstances have changed. The UK now needs more than a decarbonisation plan. It needs a full-spectrum energy strategy built on growth, resilience and abundant clean electricity.”
The institute said the government should prioritise “cost, flexibility and long-term stability — the real building blocks of electrification — not just short-term emissions cuts.”
Responding to the report and recent media speculation that the government may scale back its Clean Power 2030 commitment, Solar Energy UK chief executive Chris Hewett said affordability must remain a central focus.
“We all know that electricity bills must come down,” Hewett said. “Rapid deployment of the cheapest form of electricity generation – solar – is an obvious part of delivering the clean, secure and low-cost power we need.”
Hewett added that flexible tariffs, rooftop solar power and domestic battery storage could help lower costs “alongside reform of the electricity market.” He confirmed the trade body is in ongoing discussions with the government on how to deliver those goals.
