The French-based company has also underplayed the negative impacts of hydraulic fracturing for shale and argued that renewable energy was too volatile to meet the world’s energy demands in the near future. 

Speaking to edie at Sustainability Live, Schneider Electric’s James Williams said that the UK should not put all its renewables “into one basket”.

“Renewables are extremely volatile. We have not got enough wind turbines and we have not got enough solar PV, which is slightly concerning given the Government is really keen to push it but has not had the investment,” he said.

He added: “Gas will be the main provider and the problem with renewables is that if it is not windy you are not generating and if its not sunny you are only getting a limited amount of power.”

Williams cited Germany as an example where renewables were stifling an energy market, claiming that having decided to move away from nuclear following the Fukushima earthquake, their day-ahead power market was the “most volatile market on the globe.”

Williams also argued that the referendum for Scottish independence, set to take place in September, could feature as a huge problem for the UK’s renewable energy future.

“Most of our renewables energy comes from Scotland. With all this renewable technology, you would really want to invest in it but if the Scots say they want independence and most of the investment comes from Westminster, who is going to fund it?” he asked.

Conor McGlone

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