“Rhetoric in the energy debate has frequently sought to exploit political divides, often ignoring areas of consensus and driving political uncertainty. Carbon Connect’s Future Electricity Series is about making energy debate more constructive.”Charles Hendry MP, former Minister, Department for Energy and Climate Change   “Compared with all the other reports I’ve read in this area, this is one of the best. Even when I disagree with the opinions they are well argued and well placed” Peter Lilley MP, Energy and Climate Change Select Committee   Download the report Part 2: Power from Renewables   Power from Fossil Fuels analyses the role of coal and gas power generation in the UK's future power generation mix. It is the first of three reports in Carbon Connect's 2013 research inquiry, the Future Electricity Series, which examines what role fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear can play in providing secure, sustainable and affordable electricity in the UK.   The report finds that significantly decarbonising the power sector by 2030 will prove the most successful strategy on energy sustainability, security and affordability grounds, and that switching the UK’s reliance on coal to gas generation - while using fossil fuel power stations increasingly for backup purposes -  will be the most viable method of achieving this.    The independant report, chaired by former energy minister Charles Hendry MP and Opposition Energy and Climate Change Spokesperson in the House of Lords Baroness Worthington, was compiled between January and April 2013 and received contributions from over 30 experts in academia, industry, Parliament and Government, and was launched in Parliament on the 22nd April 2013.     Reaction to the report   Charles Hendry MP - Inquiry Co-Chair and Former Minister, Department of Energy & Climate Change:   “Rhetoric in the energy debate has frequently sought to exploit political divides, often ignoring areas of consensus and driving political uncertainty. This uncertainty has far-reaching consequences in a sector where power stations are built and operated by companies, often with international portfolios and investment opportunities. Consensus amongst politicians and parties is therefore particularly important in keeping investment flowing and the costs of finance down. Carbon Connect’s Future Electricity Series is about making energy debate more constructive.”   Baroness Worthington - Inquiry Co-Chair and Opposition Spokesperson for Energy & Climate Change, House of Lords:   “The future of gas has dominated the energy debate in recent months, but this report restores much needed balance by clearly showing the uncertainty surrounding the future of UK coal power stations. There are risks of prolonged high carbon emissions from both coal and gas power stations. Fossil fuels will continue to make a contribution to our energy mix for some time but this cannot come at the expense of our leadership on climate change. This welcome and detailed report explains the importance of investing in carbon capture and storage to provide a future for fossil fuels and also touches on other solutions such as demand reduction and biomass conversion.”   Lord Teverson - Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on DECC:   “Genuine congratulations to Carbon Connect…this is a very strong report and very comprehensive indeed”   Peter Lilley - Conservative, member of the Energy & Climate Change Select Committee:   “Compared with all the other reports I’ve read in this area, this is one of the best. Even when I disagree with the opinions they are well argued and well placed”   Prof. Jim Skea - Inquiry Steering Group member and Member of the Committee on Climate Change & Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change:   “Fossil fuels have a very important continuing role to play. First of all for providing the flexibility for the power system, to provide the back up if we move to more intermittent renewables but also a much larger role if we can demonstrate CCS which is an absolutely critical point that this report makes.”   Jonathan Holyoak - Head of Fossil Fuel Generation and CCS, Department of Energy & Climate Change:   “One of the interesting things [the report] did was to look at the problem in four dimensions…we hear about decarbonisation, affordability, security of supply, but it also mentions time.”   Tom Greatrex MP - Labour, Shadow Minister for Energy & Climate Change:   “The report is right to say that both capacity mechanisms and demand reduction have an important role to play in energy security. I welcome the report in setting some of these things out”   Press coverage   “Close coal power stations to meet carbon targets, says report” - Financial Times   “Plea to end energy clash” - Telegraph   “Harnessing volcanoes: Charles Hendry talks nuclear, fracking and more” - Guardian    “Fracking 'unlikely to give UK cheap gas' report says” - Independant   “Report: UK will need gas in the future – but must avoid 'carbon lock-in' - Business Green   “Report finds coal future uncertain, plays down UK shale gas” - Energy Live News     This independant inquiry was sponsored by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers