Tag: Energy Security and Net Zero Department

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 6 September 2023.

Mark McAllister is named as the government’s preferred candidate to be the next Chair of Ofgem, the energy regulator.

Mark McAllister is today (6 September 2023) named as the government’s preferred candidate to be the next Chair of Ofgem, the energy regulator.

Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said that Mark, currently Chair of the Office for Nuclear Regulation, will bring a “strong track record” in the industry to the role.

Mark would help ensure the energy market is fit for the future – from reforming the grid to supporting households in accessing smarter, more flexible energy.

Responsible for helping shape the regulator’s strategy and policy decisions, as Chair he will champion the interests of electricity and gas consumers. This involves working closely with government, which provided nearly £40 billion to cover around half a typical household’s energy bill last winter.

As we move to a more secure energy system, the Chair’s leadership will help us bring down household bills, protect vulnerable people and ensure the market is working for all consumers.

Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said:

We will always ensure the energy market is working for families to protect them from sky high bills, including by working closely with our partners at Ofgem.

Mark McAllister has a strong track record of advising governments and regulators on competition and regulation. His expertise will be vital in the years ahead, as we make sure more households have access to cheaper, cleaner energy.

I would also like to extend my warm thanks to Martin Cave for all of his work as Ofgem Chair since 2018.

An engineer by profession, Mark has served as Chair of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) since April 2019, where he is charged with ensuring the ONR delivers efficient and effective regulation of the nuclear industry.

His selection follows a competitive recruitment process and will be scrutinised by the Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Select Committee at a forthcoming pre-appointment hearing.

The date of Mark’s pre-appointment hearing will be announced by the ESNZ Select Committee. If confirmed, he is expected to take up post in November.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 1 September 2023.

The UK government confirms it will be reviewing its Energy Charter Treaty membership, and considering withdrawal if vital modernisation is not agreed.

The UK is reviewing its membership of the Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Minister Graham Stuart announced today (Friday 1 September), including whether the country will leave.

The treaty has historically provided protections for investors in fossil fuels – the UK’s future membership will depend on whether proposals for the treaty’s modernisation are adopted in November.

Last year the UK reached a landmark agreement to modernise the terms of the Energy Charter Treaty, maintaining its current benefits while supporting the transition to cleaner energy.

The modernised treaty, for which the UK has been a strong advocate, was supposed to have been adopted in November last year. It would have a much stronger focus on promoting clean, affordable energy, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage as well as hydrogen and other renewables. It would also strengthen the UK government’s sovereign right to change its energy system to reach net zero and protect UK investors abroad.

However, several EU member states have decided to leave the treaty, leading to an impasse on modernisation. Ministers are therefore reviewing the UK’s membership of the Energy Charter Treaty to support the transition to cleaner, cheaper and home-grown energy sources, in a mission to bolster energy security.

Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart, said:

Rather than being stuck indefinitely with an outdated treaty, the UK wants to see an agreement on a modernised treaty as quickly as possible.

In its current form, the Energy Charter Treaty will not support those countries looking to make the transition to cleaner, cheaper energy sources such as renewables – and could even penalise our country for being at the forefront of those efforts.

Governments around the world are looking to boost their sources of home-grown energy, including with new clean technologies – and that is why the Energy Charter Treaty must be modernised. It is also why we are reviewing our membership, and will consider withdrawal, if that vital modernisation is not agreed.

The UK will continue to carefully consider the views of stakeholders in business, civil society and Parliament to inform the UK’s approach. The UK’s strong rule of law means it remains an attractive destination for investment in the energy sector regardless of its Energy Charter Treaty membership.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 31 August 2023.

Simplified approach to qualifying for a heat pump grant could save consumers time and money, and variable grants will improve access.

Homeowners and small businesses could find it cheaper and easier to install heat pumps under new proposals set out today (Thursday 31 August).

Proposed measures could mean varying the levels of grants that are made available, depending on the customer’s property type or existing fuel source.

This would make heat pump installations more affordable for even more households and small businesses, enabling them to benefit from low-cost and low-carbon heating.

Households could also save time and money through a simplified approach to qualifying for a heat pump grant by removing the need to install loft or cavity wall insulation first.

These changes will help more homes and businesses move away from costly foreign fossil fuels and onto cleaner, cheaper homegrown energy – forming part of the government’s drive to decarbonise the nation’s heating, with more than £81 million in vouchers already issued to customers under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Today’s new proposals also provide an additional option to help consumers install new biomass boilers that also work as an oven, helping more households access the latest in cutting-edge, green technology.

Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:

Heat pumps are a vital tool in cutting the carbon emissions from people heating their homes, while also helping to drive down costs and boosting our energy security.

While a heat pump can be installed for a similar price to installing a gas boiler, the support we’ve put in place means it is an option for more and more households.

Today’s changes go even further and will mean even more people could benefit from making the switch, offering them the option for a low-emission, low-cost form of heating their homes.

A heat pump takes heat at a low temperature from the air or ground, increases it to a higher temperature, before transferring the heat into homes for heating and hot water. This technology is significantly more efficient than traditional boilers and uses cleaner electricity rather than fossil fuels – helping to reduce the carbon footprint of a home.

The government’s £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme was recently extended until 2028 and offers grants of £5,000 towards the installation of an air source heat pump; £6,000 off a ground source heat pump; and £5,000 off a biomass boiler. Consumers can also receive a zero VAT rate on installations.

Consumer satisfaction is also high, with 92% of surveyed heat pump owners saying they were highly satisfied with the technology after 2 winters, in an evaluation of the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme, which was replaced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Heat pump installers, manufactures, suppliers, and the wider industry are now being invited to offer their views on the government’s proposed changes to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with the consultation open on GOV.UK until 12 October.

This comes alongside a government commitment to the Future Homes Standard coming into force in 2025. The Building Regulations will continue to set a performance-based standard rather than mandating or banning the use of any technologies.

However, to make sure that new homes are zero carbon ready we plan to set the performance standard of the Future Homes Standard at a level which will effectively preclude new homes being built with fossil fuel heating.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 30 August 2023.

Two projects have been awarded funding to develop windfarm mitigating prototypes and new funding announced to help the government accurately model the effectiveness of the different solutions.

• The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and DASA has awarded £3.2 million in funding to minimise the impact of offshore windfarms on UK Air Defence.
• The funding will be used to help develop prototype demonstrations of windfarm mitigating technologies such as new materials and sensor technology.
• A further competition has also launched today, with up to £500,000 in funding available for innovators with expertise in modelling and testing the effectiveness of different mitigation technologies.

Another significant boost to the UK’s renewable energy expansion has been delivered today, with fresh multi-million-pound Government funding and the launch of a new competition driving the move to minimise the impact of offshore windfarms on UK Air Defence surveillance.

Funding worth £3.2 million has been awarded by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), in partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), to two projects aiming to demonstrate technologies which can mitigate offshore windfarms’ impacts and their interference on defence radar.

Alongside this a new £500,000 competition has been launched which will help companies find solutions to accurately model and test the effectiveness of these technologies.

This will help ensure the UK remains on course to reach its ambition of 50GW in offshore wind by 2030, whilst supporting and co-existing with our air defence capabilities.

The Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence: Phase 3 Programme is funded by the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) and is undertaken in partnership with the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and DASA.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has shown us how important it is to power more of Britain from Britain.”

“Our offshore wind capability plays a huge role in delivering our energy security, with world’s four largest offshore windfarms in UK waters.”

“But with the war raging on, we need to make sure our energy security and our national security remain fully compatible.”

“This funding will ensure our offshore wind works alongside our latest air defence technologies – boosting our defences through our military, and by delivering home-grown energy for our homes and businesses.”

The first winner of the funding today is LiveLink Aerospace, a Hampshire-based aerospace company, who have been awarded up to £1.3 million in funding.

Their project will address the challenge of radar clutter caused by the rotating blades of wind turbines, which can degrade the performance of air defence radars and surveillance systems.

The firm’s work comprises of developing a series of small low-cost and robust passive air defence sensors, which do not emit any signals themselves, and therefore do not interfere with the radar returns from wind turbines.

The second winner is Trelleborg, an engineering firm based in Nottinghamshire, which has been awarded up to £1.8 million in grant funding to deliver a project on the use of advanced materials in wind turbines to tackle radar interference. Trelleborg will use its existing expertise in manufacturing and engineering of stealth materials to deliver next-generation wind blades which will cause less interference with radars.

Key dates and funding

Also announced today, is up to £500,000 in funding now available for Stream 2 of Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence: Phase 3.This phase seeks to provide funding for innovators with expertise in modelling and testing the effectiveness of different mitigation technologies, with the end goal of producing the best technology through the right combination of radar, materials and mapping software.

The deadline to submit a proposal is midday 24 October 2023 (BST).Read to full competition document to submit a proposal.

The Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence Programme

As part of the UK’s renewable energy supply to achieve Net Zero goals, offshore wind energy will be essential. However, the installation of offshore windfarms may cause detrimental effects on the quality of data gathered from surveillance radars, which are crucial for the UK’s air defence detection capability.

The Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence programme has been addressing this challenge area for several years. After the successful completion of Phase 1 and Phase 2, Stream 1 of Phase 3 was launched earlier this year. The primary objective of Stream 1 is to support prototype demonstration of the technologies that could mitigate the impact of windfarms on UK Air Defence.

Stream 2 aims to find innovative solutions that can accurately model and test the effectiveness of different mitigation technologies.

Wing Commander Kevin Walton, Co-Chair of the Ministry of Defence/Offshore Wind Industry Council Air Defence Mitigation Task Force said:

“The MOD is playing an active role in the UK’s efforts to build a greener, net-zero future.

“Offshore wind will play a central part in meeting our nation’s renewable energy needs and ensuring energy security for the UK. Complementing existing RAF work to mitigate the impacts of large-scale offshore windfarms on our current radars and the previous phases of this competition, this 2nd stream of Phase 3 of the innovation competition will play an important part in helping us to find the right combination of future solutions that will enable the long-term co-existence of windfarms and the UK’s air surveillance radars.”

Windfarm Mitigation for UK Air Defence Programme: Phase 3 – Stream 2

To support the decision making on further development of windfarm mitigation technologies, it is necessary to develop a model which can be used to objectively compare the funded solutions, determine their effectiveness in reducing the impact of proposed offshore windfarm developments and predict the consequences and benefits of combining solutions together.

For this competition, we are seeking models that can help assess the performance of different windfarm mitigation technologies to inform future policy decisions. The model should be able to assess the technologies and combinations against a set of specific metrics, data, and different scenarios.

Example scenarios include:

• Several military jets crossing over a windfarm
• A fast jet performing a turn over a windfarm
• A supersonic fast jet traversing a windfarm at high/low altitude

Example metrics include:

• Percentage of time over a windfarm that the target remains tracked
• Time to re-establish tracking if lost
• Delay of any tracking.

Read the full competition document for a more detailed breakdown of the competition’s requirements.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 29 August 2023.

£341 million investment builds on the government’s existing £870 million stake and its plans to rapidly expand nuclear energy in the UK.

Steps to further speed up preparations to make the site at Sizewell C in Suffolk shovel-ready have been announced today (Tuesday 29 August), as part of a major drive to create a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK.

Ministers today made available a further £341 million of previously allocated funding for development work on the project. The extra money will help prepare the site for construction, procuring key components from the project’s supply chain, and expanding its workforce.

It would see activity ramp up at the Suffolk site, supporting continued preparation works, such as constructing onsite training facilities for 1500 apprenticeships, further development of the plant’s engineering design, and direct investments in the local community ahead of work starting. The funding would build on the government’s existing £870 million stake and help drive progress towards the long-standing objective of reaching a Final Investment Decision on a new large-scale nuclear project this Parliament.

Sizewell C would provide reliable, low-carbon power to the equivalent of 6 million homes over 60 years – saving the UK as many as 9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. At the peak of construction work, it would support 10,000 jobs nationwide, with 70% of the value of construction contracts in the supply chain going to UK businesses.

Making this funding available is the latest measure to support the government’s plans to rapidly expand nuclear energy in the UK, powering up to a quarter of UK electricity demands by 2050, key to reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels from overseas, providing energy independence and security of supply in Britain.

Minister for Nuclear and Networks Andrew Bowie said:

Sizewell C will be a significant part of the revival of nuclear energy in this country – providing clean, home-grown power to millions of homes, providing thousands of jobs and ending reliance on foreign electricity to bolster our energy security.

Today’s funding announcement is a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to this vital project, and will mean the site will be shovel-ready, and work able to start, much more quickly.

This is the second tranche of planned government investment this summer, further supporting plans to secure private investment using the newly established Regulated Asset Base (RAB) finance model and bolstering the pledge of taking a final investment decision on Sizewell C this Parliament.

Like Hinkley Point C in Somerset, Sizewell C would comprise 2 reactors, generating a total of 3.2GW of electricity, equivalent to 7% of the UK’s electricity needs. It would help deliver the government’s ambition for up to 24GW of the UK’s power to come from nuclear sources by 2050 – 4 times the current level.

Sizewell C Company Joint Managing Director, Julia Pyke, said:

This is great news and puts us in an even stronger position to start full construction. It will also allow us to implement several community schemes over the next few months. We want people living near Sizewell C to see the benefits of the project as soon as possible and we’re looking forward to getting started on a range of proposals which will bring real improvements to the area well before the main construction gets underway.

The news follows the launch of a new arms-length body Great British Nuclear (GBN), responsible for helping to deliver new nuclear, grow the economy, drive down bills and boost the country’s energy security. The initial focus of GBN will be on Small Modular Reactors, but further large gigawatt-scale projects will also be considered to help deliver on our net zero ambitions.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 August 2023.

The UK supports the supply of vital fuel for Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, as the Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps visits Kyiv.

Grant Shapps has visited Kyiv as the UK took action to support the supply of vital fuel for Ukraine’s plants to help power the country through the winter.

The Energy Security Secretary travelled to the capital to meet senior government ministers and leading energy industry figures to discuss Ukraine’s recovery and ongoing UK support following the illegal full-scale invasion by Putin’s Russia.

His visit comes just 2 months after the UK hosted the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, where international commitments for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction topped $60 billion. The UK government also agreed a Memorandum of Understanding committing support to Ukraine’s energy sector and green energy future.

During the visit on Tuesday, Grant Shapps visited a power station, a critical part of Ukraine’s national infrastructure, that has been badly damaged by Russian bombing and is now undergoing repairs.

The Energy Security Secretary was later shown around a kindergarten attended by Nikita, the young son of the family he took in under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which was also damaged by Russian shelling. The children performed a song before Mr Shapps played them a recorded message from Nikita.

The visit came as the UK announced its intention to provide a £192 million loan guarantee through UK Export Finance (UKEF) – the UK’s export credit agency – enabling UK-headquartered Urenco to supply Ukraine’s national nuclear company, Energoatom, with uranium enrichment services, a vital part of nuclear fuel, which will help power Ukraine.

Once provided, the support will bring the total of the UK’s non-military assistance to Ukraine to nearly £5 billion.

Nuclear power generates over half of Ukraine’s electricity and the UKEF support announced today is a move towards continuing to supply much-needed power as Ukraine defends itself and recovers from Russian aggression. The support will strengthen Ukraine’s energy security and further isolate Putin by helping the country maintain its independence from Russian nuclear fuel.

Urenco, renowned for nuclear enrichment services, has been a supplier to Energoatom and Ukraine since 2009. The support announced today will enable the further supply of services, with a significant portion of the deliveries coming from the UK – supporting specialist manufacturing jobs in the North West and Wales and the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the economy.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

Our support for Ukraine is unwavering in the face of Putin’s barbaric invasion – the UK continues to stand with Ukraine as they repel Russian attacks and rebuild their country.

Being here on the ground, it’s truly remarkable witnessing first-hand the sheer courage, resolve and gritty determination of the Ukrainian people.

Putin has used energy as a weapon of war: the action today to support nuclear fuel deliveries will help Ukraine end their reliance on Russian supplies and bolster their energy security.

Urenco CEO Boris Schucht said:

We remain deeply concerned about the ongoing developments in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the people suffering as a result of the conflict.

Since the start of the invasion, we have provided support to our customer, Energoatom, and its employees, and increased our supply of nuclear enrichment services to help provide energy independence and security of supply in Ukraine.

We are actively discussing longer term supply with Energoatom and are ready to play our part in supporting their future.  We have the capacity to meet current demand for uranium enrichment services and options to increase this to provide an enhanced offering globally.

Collaboration from governments, such as in the UK with this agreement, is critical to facilitate this, as well as with customers and the wider nuclear industry, and we will continue to do all we can to play a valuable role.

During the visit, the Energy Security Secretary met Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov and Minister for Energy German Galushchenko to discuss the UK’s support for Ukraine recovery.

Mr Shapps’s visit also comes just days before Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day, celebrating its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

In Kyiv, Grant Shapps met Energoatom’s President Petro Kotin to discuss Urenco’s vital role in supplying nuclear fuel to Ukraine. The Energy Security Secretary also met other Ukrainian energy company leaders to discuss their critical efforts in keeping the lights on for the Ukrainian people and in the recovery.

Today’s news follows the G7 Energy Ministers’ meeting in Sapporo Japan, at which the UK, US, Canada, Japan and France agreed a new nuclear fuel alliance to leverage their respective resources and capabilities of each country’s civil nuclear power sectors to undermine Russia’s grip on supply chains and displace Putin from the international nuclear energy market.

Urenco is the only uranium enrichment company in the UK and is a key part of the government’s plans to rapidly expand nuclear power to provide up to a quarter of all the country’s electricity by 2050, through supporting a resilient nuclear fuel supply chain for the UK and its key international partners.

UKEF support will be provided through a back-stop / guarantee with funds released by partner banks once financial terms are agreed.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 15 August 2023.

New artificial intelligence (AI) solutions will accelerate industrial decarbonisation across the country, with nearly £4 million in government funding for green innovations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to transform the way industries cut their carbon emissions thanks to a multi-million-pound government investment announced today (Tuesday 15 August).

Twelve green AI initiatives will receive a share of £1 million to decarbonise and boost generation of renewable energy, contributing to reaching the country’s ambitious net zero goal by 2050.

The schemes range from solar energy improvements, that use AI to improve the forecasting of when it will best produce energy for the grid, to the decarbonisation of dairy farming through the use of AI robots monitoring crop and soil health.

Even AI itself could reduce its carbon footprint, with one project developing hardware that will mimic the human brain so that a computer can reduce power consumption when performing AI tasks.

On top of this, government will provide a further £2.25 million to support further AI innovations, with the aim of cutting emissions specifically in energy sectors.

This forms part of the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio and cements the UK’s position firmly at the forefront of AI and decarbonisation.

Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said:

We are unquestionably world-leading when it comes to advanced AI and our track record for decarbonisation.

This unique position means we must now push the boundaries in how this technology can enhance our rapidly-growing clean energy sector.

It’s projects like those announced today that will take us to the next step on our ambitious journey to becoming net zero, while boosting our energy security and creating a new wave of skilled jobs for the future.

Minister for AI and Intellectual Property, Viscount Camrose, said:

AI is delivering transformative change in the UK. These winning projects are yet another example of how we are tapping into our world-class research base and home-grown expertise to tackle one of the most pressing global challenges of our time.

Whether backing projects to help us slash emissions or supporting research to revolutionise healthcare for patients, we’re harnessing the enormous potential of AI technologies to improve people’s lives.

The government’s Digital Catapult agency, which is part of Innovate UK and supports businesses in progressing their ideas, has also today received up to £500,000 to launch the UK’s first Centre for Excellence on AI innovation for decarbonisation (ADViCE).

This will provide a virtual hub that will bring together businesses, academics and experts to advance research into AI solutions that will help industries cut emissions.

CEO of Digital Catapult, Dr Jeremy Silver, said:

The ADViCE programme will drive forward AI’s integral role in solving critical decarbonisation challenges. The programme partners sit at the heart of the UK’s dynamic AI ecosystem and are perfectly placed to forge collaborations between the technology community and some of our most carbon intensive sectors.

Smart use of AI and data will be fundamental to meeting the UK’s net zero commitment. ADViCE will support those building the algorithms and those investing in AI solutions in the most impactful way possible.

The AI projects to receive a total of £1 million to develop new decarbonisation solutions include:

• Secqai Ltd. in London will receive £100,000 to support the development of new ultra-low-power AI technology, which mirrors the neural structure of the human brain. This new system will consume a fraction of the power of traditional AI hardware, helping to cut its carbon footprint
• £121,500 for London-based Open Climate Fix Ltd. to develop AI that will support the connection of solar electricity to the energy grid. The technology will use satellite and weather data to forecast the amount to solar energy being transferred to the grid, to reduce network congestion and maximise the amount of renewable energy transmitted
• £133,932 will also support a solar energy project run by the University of Nottingham. In this project, AI will improve the forecasting of solar energy production, using sky images and weather data
• £132,147 will help list.io Ltd. to create a new agriculture robotics that will provide an automated soil and crop health monitoring system, to support decarbonisation in crop management and dairy farms

The government has today announced a further £2.25 million under its AI for Decarbonisation Programme, taking the total funding provided to £3.75 million. Energy firms, software developers and innovators have until 10 October 2023 to apply.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 14 August 2023.

British businesses will be able to access new advice and support to reduce their energy bills and cut their carbon emissions from the UK Business Climate Hub.

British businesses will be able to access brand new advice and support to reduce their energy bills while cutting their carbon emissions.

The UK Business Climate Hub launched today (14 August 2023) includes a free carbon calculator and a suite of new tools to help businesses measure, track and report on their emissions and save money by using less energy. It offers detailed advice on everything from sourcing products from green suppliers and reducing emissions from freight and logistics to the most cost-effective ways of installing solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) charging points.

Research shows that such measures can significantly save companies on their overheads. For example:

• switching to EVs can not only cut running costs but also lower servicing and maintenance costs by around 40% compared to petrol or diesel cars
• with up to half of companies’ overall electricity bill coming from lighting, making changes such as switching to LED bulbs can help shave up to 40% off bills
• giving drivers fuel efficiency training can help save companies an average of 15% on fuel use and carbon emissions in transporting goods

The new support is aimed particularly at 5.5 million small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in the UK, with business and industry accounting for around 25% of emissions. Research shows that 90% of SMEs are keen to tackle climate change, but find it difficult to know how or where to start to find the right solutions to reduce their carbon footprint.

Studies also show 85% of consumers are more likely to buy from a business with a reputation for sustainability, meaning going green can help grow the economy.

Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart, said:

The UK has cut its emissions more than any other major economy in the world. More and more businesses are recognising the business benefits of reaching net zero and we’re determined to empower them to do so.

The new UK Business Climate Hub is a one-stop-shop for businesses to find practical advice to reduce their carbon footprint and save on their energy bills.

Whether it’s fitting a low-carbon heat pump, generating energy with solar panels, or reducing the emissions from shipping goods, the new support will ensure businesses can drive towards net zero.

The new UK Business Climate Hub serves as a one-stop-shop for businesses who have yet to start making changes, as well as those who are already taking action to reduce emissions but want to take things to the next level. As well as helping bosses measure and report on their emissions, the site provides advice and support on an array of things, including:

• switching employee modes of transport and paying less for company EVs
• getting business grants, green loans and financing for a retrofit
• getting an air source heat pump
• generating green energy with a wind turbine and selling it back to the grid
• reducing emissions from farming and land use
• buying credible carbon offsets
• getting low-carbon product labels and certifications
• reducing waste and recycling more

National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, Martin McTague, said:

We are pleased to have contributed to the new UK Business Climate Hub that will provide businesses with trusted tools and information to help them navigate the net zero transition.

SMEs recognise their role in net zero but many still find it challenging to access the relevant support and resources to play their part. This new official platform for advice and support will really help.

In addition to helping small firms become more energy and resource efficient, the hub also has the opportunity to empower small firms to take ambitious steps towards net zero, ultimately ensuring that they also benefit from the economic opportunities created in a net zero economy.

The new site is endorsed by business leaders and ministers on the new Net Zero Council and comes as the organisation calls on business representative organisations across the country to take concerted action to plan to reduce their members’ emissions.

The group, comprising CEOs from leading companies including Co-op, HSBC, Siemens and Cemex, have developed a new business roadmap framework to help empower businesses to work with others in their sector to create tailored action plans for their own industry to decarbonise.

These sector roadmaps would help companies the length and breadth of the country, from Aberdeen to Aberystwyth, and Penzance to Peterborough, to transition to net zero.

Co-Chair of the Net Zero Council, Co-op Group Chief Executive Shirine Khoury-Haq, said:

None of us will get to net zero without all of us getting to net zero, so ensuring that every business and every sector has a clear plan for delivering this non-negotiable target is key. I hope the UK Business Climate Hub will be a valuable tool for business leaders looking for guidance and support in this vital endeavour.

The framework, which has been endorsed by the Net Zero Council and that is being published today, is designed to support organisations working to articulate a credible roadmap to net zero on a sector by sector basis.

In 2020 the UK was estimated to already have over 400,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country, with turnover at £41.6 billion. Over 80,000 green jobs are currently being supported or are in the pipeline because of new government policies since 2020, with that expected to increase to as many as nearly half a million by 2030.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 12 August 2023.

Households across the country will benefit from specialist face-to-face advice on how to make their home more energy efficient and save on their energy bills.

Households across the country will benefit from specialist in-person advice on how to make their home more energy efficient and save on their energy bills.

Backed by £20 million of government funding, 36 pilot services will trial new ways to get expert advice out to those that need it most, with more than 125,000 households to benefit across England.

This will be particularly targeted at those in hard-to-treat homes, such as listed buildings, as well as those who are hard to reach, such as the elderly and people who do not have internet access.

In Birmingham, locals will be able to pop into new energy cafes across the city to find out how to make their homes more efficient. The initiative, backed by over £800,000, aims to make the advice accessible to more people over a friendly chat.

Elsewhere, a new ‘green doctor’, backed by £302,000, will be offering ‘home check-ups’ for older and low-income households in North Yorkshire and Cumbria to advise on which energy efficiency measures would be beneficial in their homes.

This is expected to help more than 19,000 households install retrofit measures, ranging from loft and cavity wall insulation to draught proofing, better heating controls, and new heat pumps.

It forms the latest in a series of support to help households keep their bills down, as part of the government’s efforts to cut inflation.

Other projects to receive funding today include a retrofit electric bus to bring on-the-road energy saving tips to customers around North Yorkshire. While in Lincolnshire, an electric energy van will travel to rural areas of the county to explain how government schemes can help people reduce their energy use.

Amanda Solloway, Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability, said:

We want everyone to be able to get expert advice on how to make their homes more energy efficient, no matter where they live, so they can save money.

These innovative projects will bring that expertise right to people’s doorsteps, quite literally in some cases, ensuring people are given the best advice on how to save money on their bills and heat their homes for less without needing to search for it.

This is alongside our investment of billions of pounds to improve energy efficiency across the country – reducing bills at the same time as making sure Britain’s homes are fit for the future.

Schools and community hubs will also be put to use in projects across the country to help pass on energy advice and support for households.

Energy efficiency remains the best approach to reducing fuel poverty in the long-term, contributing to warmer homes and reduced energy bills, while helping to cut carbon emissions.

The new initiative launched today will help households to access these benefits – particularly the elderly and those without internet access, or in listed buildings and rural areas.

Mike Thornton, Chief Executive at Energy Saving Trust said:

It’s good news that the government is moving to increase targeted support for those most in need. Personalised advice is crucial in empowering people to confidently make the right changes in their home.

With our 30 years’ experience delivering advice schemes across the UK we know that funding is most effective when combined with personalised energy efficiency advice.

National Energy Action chief executive Adam Scorer said:

Energy advice has never been more important, at National Energy Action, we know the vital role local charities play in supporting their communities on the ground.

This programme recognises the key role of local projects, especially to support households with limited access to internet, who all too often miss out on advice. As our own local fuel poverty awareness events show, you really can’t overstate the effectiveness of in-person advice.

Today’s support comes on top of the resources launched earlier this year, including an online Find ways to save energy in your home tool and a new energy efficiency phoneline to help households get quick and accurate information on retrofitting their home.

Households can also access a range of government support for retrofit upgrades to their homes, including the Home Upgrade Grant and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, as well as ECO4 and The Great British Insulation Scheme.

The support forms part of the government’s £6.6 billion energy efficiency drive, with a further £6 billion committed from 2025 to 2028.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 11 August 2023.

£10 million fund to open in early Autumn and help deliver government’s ambitions to restore optimism and pride in local communities.