Renewable energy is central to protecting the UK’s economy and national security, according to a new report by Public First produced in collaboration with the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and commissioned by RenewableUK. The report warns that ongoing reliance on internationally traded gas leaves the UK exposed to global price shocks, fiscal risk, and potential disruption by hostile states.

The report highlights that investing in and safeguarding the UK’s domestic energy supply, particularly through renewables, is a national security priority. It finds that while the UK’s energy system is resilient, this resilience comes at a high cost for consumers due to unpredictable spikes in fossil fuel prices.

The findings draw on a detailed wargame exercise involving experts from COBRA-level emergency planning, the National Energy System Operator (NESO), National Grid, National Gas, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, as well as oil, gas, and renewable energy developers. Specialists from the Ministry of Defence, NATO, and the Alan Turing Institute were also consulted. Across a range of scenarios — including geopolitical conflict, extreme weather, and infrastructure disruption — the UK continued to supply electricity, but reliance on global gas markets quickly pushed up costs, increasing public spending and fiscal uncertainty.

The report stresses that domestic gas production, including the North Sea, and gas storage play a role in energy security, but cannot fully protect the UK from international price volatility, as gas prices are determined globally. Analysis shows that the UK has faced at least eight major gas price spikes in the past ten years, from extreme weather events like the 2018 “Beast from the East” to foreign supply outages and geopolitical crises.

Renewable power, supported by fixed-price contracts, has mitigated these risks. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK spent £50 billion supporting consumers, while renewables returned money to consumers over the same period. University College London estimates that deployment of renewables has saved UK consumers over £100 billion since 2010 by lowering electricity prices and reducing exposure to volatile gas markets.

The wargame also demonstrated that a renewable-led power system, supported by storage and flexibility, is more resilient to physical disruption than one based on fossil fuels. Wind and solar generation are spread geographically, reducing the number of single points vulnerable to attack.

Key recommendations

The report calls for energy security to be treated as a national security priority, with renewables playing a leading role. Key recommendations include:

• Embed energy security within national security planning, recognising energy system resilience as a national security asset and coordinating with NATO allies.

• Scale up electricity storage to support a renewable-led system, alongside strategic gas reserves.

• Harness consumers and businesses through flexible tariffs, smart technologies, and electrification to reduce system stress.

• Treat cyber security as a frontline energy risk, integrating renewables and fossil fuel assets fully into national cybersecurity frameworks.

• Strengthen international protection of critical infrastructure, including undersea cables and pipelines in the North Sea.

Tara Singh, Chief Executive of RenewableUK, said:
“Security experts are increasingly clear that the best way to protect the UK’s economy and national security is to make the most of our own home-grown energy. Renewables are central because they reduce exposure to global shocks, help keep bills stable, and make the system harder to disrupt.”

Dan Marks, RUSI Research Fellow on Energy Security, added:
“The UK must move from a high-cost, passive system vulnerable to international gas and oil markets to a secure, low-cost, low-emissions system, where renewables, storage, and demand flexibility give consumers protection from global supply shocks.”

Daisy Powell-Chandler, report author and Partner at Public First, highlighted:
“The UK now faces a quieter, slower risk: deliberate financial destabilisation. Protecting our energy security through renewables, storage, and stronger infrastructure safeguards is essential to national security.”

Marten Ford, Advisory Project Leader at Aurora Energy Research, concluded:
“The internationalised gas market leaves the UK exposed to global price signals and geopolitical risks. Managing this volatility requires a combination of renewables, storage, and other assets to reduce the role of gas in setting electricity prices.”

The report makes it clear that accelerating renewables is not only a climate imperative but a strategic step for national security, helping the UK reduce exposure to global energy shocks while supporting a more resilient, flexible, and low-cost electricity system.