Are renewables making electricity more expensive?

**>>> Sign up to our live event: https://ifs.org.uk/events/ifs-zooms-live-look-ahead-budget <<<** **Renewable energy is at the centre of the debate about Britain's high electricity prices. Some argue that wind and solar power are driving up costs, requiring expensive subsidies, backup generation and upgrades to the electricity grid. Others point to the falling cost of renewable technologies and argue that expanding them is the best way to bring down bills. So who's right?** In this episode, Helen Miller is joined by IFS researchers Peter Levell and Stephen Jarvis, Assistant Professor of Environmental Economics at the London School of Economics, to explore the economics of renewable energy. They explain why gas often determines the price of electricity, even as Britain generates more power from wind and solar, and examine how investment in renewables has affected electricity costs over the past decade. They also discuss whether the government should slow down its plans to decarbonise electricity, how falling technology and battery costs could change the picture, and what growing demand from data centres might mean for Britain's energy system. **This episode draws on new IFS research published as part of the 2026 Green Budget.** Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.