Tag: Energy Security and Net Zero Department

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 7 May 2025.

Motorists could benefit from cheaper charging costs and more transparent prices at the pump.

Motorists could benefit from cheaper charging costs through the introduction of solar canopies in car parks to save drivers money as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

The government has today launched a call for evidence to understand how to harness the untapped potential of solar in car parks across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Supermarkets, retail parks, and offices could also save money on their energy bills by turning their carparks into ‘solar carports’, saving up to £28,000 a year and powering businesses and homes across the UK.

Petrol and diesel motorists are also set to be supported by the government’s flagship Fuel Finder scheme – which today appointed a supplier to begin the first phase of delivery that requires all petrol stations to share prices within 30 minutes of a change, driving down prices at the pump and saving drivers between 1 to 6p a litre on average.

Mandating solar on car parks supports the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower, unlocking underutilised space which can be used to power homes and businesses with clean, cheap, secure power.

The Energy Secretary has already approved nearly 3 GW of new solar capacity since July, enough to power the equivalent of 1 million homes. Proposals would help boost Britain’s energy security by bringing bills down in the long-term for families through the Plan for Change.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Right now, the sun is shining on hundreds of thousands of car parking spaces across the country which could be used to power our homes and businesses.

We want to work with businesses and car park operators to turn our car parks into solar carports to save families and businesses money with clean, homegrown British energy through our Plan for Change.

Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said:

We’re committed to ensuring electric car drivers are always close to a charger and can save money when making the switch. Today is another positive example of how we’re harnessing the net zero transition to give drivers more choice and help them get around with greater peace of mind.

There are now more than 76,500 public electric vehicle charging devices available across the UK, as we continue to deliver our Plan for Change by investing £2.3 billion to help drivers switch to electric vehicles while backing British carmakers and protecting jobs.

Solar carports are already mandatory in some European countries, including France and Slovenia, providing their countries with an abundance of cheaper solar power.

Initial estimates suggest that an 80-space car park could save around £28,000 per year in electricity bills by installing solar carports and using all electricity generated. The call for evidence is seeking additional evidence on the potential benefits of the policy.

Companies could also make back the cost of installing solar in carparks by selling energy back to the grid or through long-term power purchase agreements.

Ben Cox, Director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, Asset Managers of Metrocentre said:

With the largest number of EV charging points of any shopping centre in the country, and over 5,000 PV panels in action, including those on car ports in Green and Blue Mall car parks, we have already taken great steps to secure a more sustainable future.

We welcome the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s call for evidence which will allow us to invest further into these facilities to support the government’s national agenda.

Solar canopies have proven to improve the experience for customers, providing shaded cover for cars during heatwaves, creating a cooler environment for both vehicles and pedestrians.

The Clean Power Action Plan set an ambition of 45 to 47 GW by 2030. Ground-mounted solar currently occupies around less than 0.1% of total and area of the UK.

It is estimated that the solar sector supports 17,500 direct and indirect jobs across the UK, with more jobs possible from the rollout of mandatory solar carports.

Case studies

• The Bentley Motors manufacturing facility in Cheshire is the largest solar carport in the UK, with 10,000 solar panels and a capacity of 2.7 MW. Along with other installed solar arrays and 6.6 MW of battery storage, the car park enables all of Bentley’s manufacturing operations to be powered by solar
• Eastbourne District General Hospital became the first solar carport to power a hospital, cutting the hospital’s emissions by 222 tonnes in the first year
• Stourton Park & Ride in Leeds hosts a 1.2 MW solar carport, providing EV charging infrastructure for 26 spaces
• The Metrocentre in Gateshead has over 5,300 rooftop and carport solar panels providing enough power to supply 40% of their annual electricity usage.

Notes to Editors

The illustrative estimates of the potential financial savings associated with the installation of solar canopies has been produced to serve as a reference point for further respondents. For the calculation, a car parking business would install 80 solar canopy solar bays over a 2.4m x 5.0m car parking space, with a generation intensity of 1 MW for every 5000m2. Considering the practical limitations of solar power generation, we assume a load factor of 11% which was published in our cost generation report. To then calculate the saving if 100% of this electricity was self-consumed by the business, we used the average of our central commercial electricity prices forecasts from 2025 to 2054.

The homes powered estimate reflects the equivalent number of homes that could be powered based on an estimate of the annual generation from the 3GW of solar capacity approved by the Energy Secretary since July. It is not possible to continuously power a home through intermittent renewables – this capacity will work alongside the rest of the electricity system to power homes and businesses. The estimate is calculated using household consumption estimates sourced from the published Subnational Electricity and Gas Consumption Report and actual load factors as per the Energy Trends publication. The actual generation will vary based on site specific factors.

See more information on solar industry statistics.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 30 April 2025.

Proposals to give families greater choice when upgrading their home’s heating as well as plans to create up to 18,000 training places for green jobs.

Homeowners are set to have more choice over ways to access heating systems and bring down costs under proposals being considered as part of the Warm Homes Plan – helping to deliver on the government’s milestone of higher living standards as part of the Plan for Change.

Demand for heat pumps is surging, with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme – which offers up to £7,500 off the cost, enjoying its best month since opening, with 4,028 applications received in March 2025, up 88% on the same month last year. Heat pumps can save families around £100 on their average energy bills when used with a smart tariff.

With more households wanting to make the upgrade to cleaner, homegrown energy, the government has today launched a new consultation on expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to give families even greater choice to pick what works best for them.

Changes to the scheme could see families potentially access air-to-air heat pumps and electric heating technologies such as heat batteries, which are currently not eligible for grants under the scheme, alongside new purchase and ownership models which could spread the cost of a heat pump over several years, or give households the opportunity to lease one for a monthly fee instead.

As part of the government’s Plan for Change, even more households will be able to take up the offer of switching to low-carbon heating, while protecting the pounds in people’s pockets by making more options available.

The government has also set out plans to bolster the ‘clean power army’, training up to 18,000 more home retrofitters, to install heat pumps, insulation, solar panels and heat networks, alongside a major new deal to support the UK’s heat pump supply chain.

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:

Our Warm Homes Plan will mean lower bills and warmer homes for millions of families – helping drive better living standards as part of the Plan for Change.

Following a record-breaking month for applications to our Boiler Upgrade Scheme, we are now proposing to give working families more choice and flexibility to pick the low-carbon upgrades that work best for them.

And on top of this, we are investing over £4 million in Copeland to continue building a homegrown heat pump industry and training up the army of skilled workers we need to achieve this.

Copeland in Northern Ireland have been awarded £4.6 million to expand their manufacturing for heating compression technology – a key component of heat pumps, which can help protect family finances from the roller coaster of international gas markets by running on clean electricity.

This investment, backed by a multi-million pound investment from Copeland, will help to support the industries and jobs of the future, while unlocking economic growth, as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

Ministers have also unveiled plans to train up to 18,000 skilled workers to install heat pumps, fit solar panels, install insulation and work on heat networks through the extension of the Heat Training Grant and launch of the Warm Homes Skills Programme.

With 3 days to go until the government’s consultation on introducing higher minimum energy efficiency standards in private rented sector homes closes, ministers have issued a final call for tenants and landlords to make their views heard.

Under the proposals, all private landlords would be required to meet a higher standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C or equivalent in their properties – up from the current level of EPC E, by 2030.

This will deliver on the priorities of working people, in line with the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, by requiring landlords to invest in measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation or double glazing – ensuring homes are warmer and more affordable for tenants. Alongside higher standards & funding in the social rented sector, this could lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.

Stakeholder reaction

Charlotte Lee, CEO at the Heat Pump Association said:

Following a record year for UK heat pump sales in 2024, we warmly welcome today’s announcements which will continue to support growth in the sector and increased deployment of clean heating.

The additional funding to support those wishing to become qualified to install heat pumps and heat networks is especially welcome, alongside proposals to expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to make clean heating solutions an accessible option for more consumers.

Jambu Palaniappan, CEO at Checkatrade said:

We fully support this latest government investment in skills and training, and greater choice for homeowners.

At Checkatrade, we’ve seen the growing importance of green energy to consumers, and with our new Green Hub are more easily connecting them with skilled tradespeople to make their homes more energy-efficient.

The new funding is a key step towards empowering more people to enter the trade and a boost for the economy, helping to build long-term, sustainable careers for thousands across the UK.

Verity Davidge, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Make UK said:

As we continue to transition to a low-carbon economy it is critical we have the people and skills needed to make it happen.

Today’s announcement is a positive step towards ensuring the workforce is equipped with these skills. Many of those trained will develop the transferable skills needed to support industry in its own quest to transition to net zero.

Ned Hammond, Deputy Director (Customers) at Energy UK, said:

Expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and giving families greater choice in the types of low-carbon heating systems available to them is a really positive move. More flexibility in the way customers can pay for these technologies will also help make efficient and smart heating systems, such as heat pumps, heat batteries and heat networks, available to even more customers who are struggling with high energy bills and looking for an alternative to costly gas boilers.

The recent surge in demand for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme following the government’s funding uplift is a clear signal of consumer appetite and what can be done with the right support in place – and it’s vital this level of investment continues.

Underpinning this is the need for a skilled and dedicated installer supply chain, so it’s fantastic to see government extending its support for skills and training as part of today’s announcement.

The government’s figures show that 71% of installers benefitting from the Heat Training Grant said it made all the difference in their decision to upskill into heat pump systems. Extending the subsidy out to 2030 would help further with bringing in the thousands of new entrants we need into the heat pump and heat networks sectors.

Chris O’Shea, CEO of Centrica, said:

As the UK’s largest installer of low carbon heating technologies, we are delighted with the government’s proposals to expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to offer customers more choice on how to decarbonise their homes through greater financing, ownership and technology options.

We can’t wait to add more to our Clean Power Army, the largest in the UK, using our award-winning academies and British Gas engineers to train installers across the UK.

Garry Felgate, Chief Executive of The MCS Foundation, said:

Consumer confidence in low-carbon technologies is growing, with more households installing heat pumps across the UK than ever before. Today’s announcements will help to accelerate that trend, by ensuring more people can access heat pump grants and supporting the growth of the heat pump workforce.

These steps are very welcome news, enabling lower bills, lower carbon emissions, and sustainable jobs.

Sando Matic, Europe President for Copeland, said:

This investment marks a pivotal step in advancing clean energy solutions and driving economic growth.

By expanding our manufacturing capabilities for heating solutions here in Northern Ireland, Copeland is proud to play a key role in helping to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and supporting the energy transition to more sustainable, electricity-powered heating.

Aadil Qureshi, CEO of Heat Geek, said:

Installers are the bedrock of this transition. They not only fulfil customer demand, but help guide and advise homeowners. More funding for programmes that deliver high quality training and good installation outcomes are essential for the future of this industry.

Greg Jackson CBE, Founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, said:

Britain has a huge opportunity to create thousands of good jobs as part of our energy transition. At Octopus, we’re playing our part by training 4,000 new low-carbon heating apprentices by 2030, but the industry needs thousands more if we’re going to reach our climate targets.

It’s good to see backing for training that will get anyone, no matter if they’re school leavers or career changers, into these high-impact jobs.

Notes to editors

Options being considered to help spread the installation cost of a heat pump include:

• hire purchase, giving households the option to pay for a heat pump in instalments, meaning they would own the equipment at the end of their contract
• hire purchase plus, combining paying for a heat pump in instalments with a separate contract for an energy tariff, allowing providers to simplify costs into a single monthly payment
• leasing, offering households the option to lease a heat pump for a set amount of time, like leasing a car. At the end of the contract, households would either enter into another agreement to continue leasing the heat pump, or would replace it

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 April 2025.

Consumers will be able to save money on their bills thanks to new regulations for many smart energy appliances.

Consumers will benefit from a wider range of cheaper energy deals thanks to new requirements for smart appliances like heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers.

This will enable more households to access cheaper tariffs to cut their energy bills, to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change to put more money in people’s pockets.

Energy smart appliances allow consumers to shift their electricity usage to times when it is less costly for the energy system. When an appliance’s smart function is activated, it will respond to price signals and can then use energy when it is cheapest, such as overnight.

Many are already cutting their bills by taking advantage of off-peak deals. For example, electric vehicle owners with a typical annual mileage can save £332 a year by charging their cars overnight using a time-of-use tariff.

A new framework will introduce requirements for heat pumps to be sold smart-ready, in line with regulations that already apply to electric vehicle chargers. This will give heat pump owners the choice to activate smart functionality and make savings by heating their homes when energy is cheaper. This can save around £100 per year compared to the costs of a gas boiler.

The government will also ensure that a range of appliances including electric vehicle smart charge points, heat pumps, and battery energy storage systems must be able to operate across different tariffs. This will mean that devices are not tied to one energy supplier, and so consumers will not be locked into one plan. This will deliver savings by encouraging competition and allowing customers to shop around for the best deals regardless of what device they have.

The measures form part of the government’s Clean Power Action Plan, which sets out pro-consumer reforms to help households benefit from lower energy bills.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

From EV chargers to heat pumps, smart appliances can do the hard work for consumers by automatically using energy when the price is low. We want to put more money in people’s pockets as part of Our Plan for Change by making it easier for people to benefit from cheaper off-peak tariffs in their home.

These new standards will also bring a common-sense approach to smart appliances by ensuring different brands and models can operate across different energy suppliers, allowing consumers to shop around for the best deals.

Tough new cyber security standards will be introduced for smart appliances, to protect customers and their data from cyberattacks.

Not only will these measures help smart energy consumers to cut their bills, but lowering peak electricity demand would minimise the electricity infrastructure that needs to be built. This could contribute to saving £40 to £50 billion between now and 2050, leading to further savings for all billpayers.

Increased consumer-led flexibility will help to deliver the Clean Energy Mission, by enabling Britain to make the most of its renewable electricity at times of high generation or low demand, which will reduce the need for expensive fossil fuelled power.

The introduction of the Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement in 2027 will require energy suppliers to use the most accurate data, so they can offer more smart tariffs that allow customers to choose when to use energy and benefit from savings. Earlier this month, the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Ofgem CEO Jonathan Brearley wrote to energy companies warning that no further delay will be tolerated to the roll out of this new system, to ensure consumers can benefit as quickly as possible.

Sarah Honan, Head of Policy at the Association for Decentralised Energy said:

To hit net zero and slash bills, consumers must lead our energy overhaul. With 84% of households ready to embrace flexible energy use for savings, it’s time to make smart tech the standard. Smart EV chargers, heat pumps and similar innovations will save families hundreds a year, as well as save the energy system billions by avoiding costly grid upgrades. We applaud the government for stepping up to turn this vision into reality.”

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 April 2025.

An amendment to the Great British Energy Bill will enable the company to ensure forced labour is not used in its supply chains.

Great British Energy will act to secure supply chains that are free of forced labour, under an amendment brought forward by the government today.

Owned by and for the British public, Great British Energy will be a sector leader in building new energy infrastructure using ethical supply chains.

A new measure set out in the Great British Energy Bill will enable the company to ensure that forced labour does not take place in its business or its supply chains.

The amendment is the latest move in the government’s work to tackle the issue of forced labour as it becomes a global leader in clean energy. Great British Energy is already able to bar suppliers that use illegal and immoral practices from bidding for its contracts.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

Great British Energy will be an industry-leader in developing supply chains free of forced labour as it propels us in our clean energy superpower mission.

Owned by and for the British public, Great British Energy will be an institution we can all be proud of as we build our clean energy future here in the UK.

The government has already:

• brought the Procurement Act 2023 into force, so public bodies can reject bids and terminate contracts with suppliers that are known to use forced labour
• committed that Great British Energy’s strategic priorities will include an overarching expectation to tackle forced labour, becoming a sector leader in this space, as expected from any company owned by the British public
• set out that Great British Energy will appoint a senior leader on ethical supply chains and modern slavery
• relaunched the Solar Taskforce, to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable and free from forced labour
• encouraged renewable developers accessing its flagship Contracts for Difference scheme to grow the supply chain through the Supply Chain Plan process
• published updated guidance on producing modern slavery statements, providing all businesses and public bodies with practical advice on how to tackle modern slavery in their supply chains

And the Solar Roadmap will set out how government will work with industry to triple the UK’s solar capacity by 2030. It is set to be published later this year.

Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of the trade association Solar Energy UK said:

Solar Energy UK welcomes the government’s amendment to the GB Energy Bill.

The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), which we developed with SolarPower Europe, is already having a real impact on the global supply chain. By the end of this year, SSI-certified manufacturing facilities will be able to produce 100 gigawatts of solar panels per year from independently-assessed sites that are not complicit in forced labour. That is around five times more than all of the UK’s existing solar panels put together, more than enough to meet both UK and EU demand. This number will continue to grow.

Given progress in ensuring that the UK supply chain is free from solar panels produced with raw materials tainted by human rights abuses, we are confident that there will be no slowdown in solar deployment. The amendment poses no threat to the attainment of clean power by 2030, nor to reaching net zero by 2050.

This latest commitment will support growth in the UK and plans to deliver clean power by 2030, by using domestic suppliers, alongside those across the world, who have safe supply chain practices.

The solar industry is confident that the government can meet its clean power ambitions whilst also tackling forced labour in supply chains, and the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out the supply chain requirements to deliver on this ambition.

Notes to editors

The proposed amendment, to Clause 3 of the GBE Bill, will be voted on by MPs and Peers.

This clause sets Great British Energy’s activities as: facilitating, encouraging and participating in clean energy projects; reducing greenhouse gas emissions; improving energy efficiency; ensuring energy security; and now, measures to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in its business or supply chains.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 17 April 2025.

British businesses and organisations better supported to trade carbon credits as part of new work to establish the UK as the global hub for green finance.

British businesses and organisations will be better supported to trade carbon credits as part of new work to establish the UK as the global hub for green finance – driving growth and investment while tackling the climate crisis through the Plan for Change.

Today the government has launched plans to strengthen voluntary carbon and nature markets which can help leverage the finance needed to address the scale of the climate emergency whilst diversifying revenue streams for British businesses.

These markets support the trading of carbon credits, where a business can reduce their emissions by investing in environmentally friendly projects such as deploying electric vehicles, reducing deforestation, removing carbon dioxide through carbon dioxide or planting trees.

Currently these markets are not realising their full potential, with a lack of clarity among businesses and organisations on how they can be used, and some poor practice impacting their effectiveness in delivering meaningful climate action and economic growth. There have been widespread calls from businesses and organisations for greater clarity in how to use these markets as part of their plans to reach net zero.

In response, the UK is establishing a global framework to build trust and confidence in carbon and nature credit trading, with a set of principles to guide and support businesses on how to use carbon credits that provide environmental benefits. This includes making clear what a good credit is, ensuring they are delivering environmental benefits and encouraging businesses to fully disclose what they are being used for in annual sustainability reporting.

These markets are estimated to be worth up to $250 billion by 2050 for carbon markets, and $69 billion for nature markets, under the right conditions. By increasing confidence in these markets, British businesses – including farmers and land managers –  will be well positioned to seize the economic rewards by creating new revenue streams and investment opportunities.

These plans will further strengthen the UK as the green finance capital of the world – leading the way in a new growth market, unlocking private finance for climate change and backing businesses on the clean energy transition.

Positive climate action can lead to significant growth opportunities for UK businesses with the UK seeing £43.7 billion of private investment into UK’s clean energy industries since July. Recent figures from the CBI shows that the net zero economy grew 3 times faster than the economy as a whole last year, with employment in the sector up by over 10%.

Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:

Building up trust in carbon and nature markets is crucial to their success in driving meaningful climate action and real, lasting change for the environment.

The UK is determined to spearhead global efforts to raise integrity in these markets so they can channel the finance needed to tackle the climate crisis and speed up the global clean energy transition.

These principles will cement the UK as the global hub for green finance and carbon markets. This is an opportunity to deliver on the climate crisis and drive investment and growth in the UK as part of our Plan for Change.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

Nature underpins everything. Voluntary carbon and nature markets will be an important tool to crowd in private finance to protect our precious peatlands, important habitats and rare species.

It is why increasing trust in these markets will ensure that they benefit both people and our planet, ensuring money flows towards genuine environmental improvement projects and creates new sources of finance for farmers and land managers in the UK.

Carbon credits are tradable units that represent the reduction or removal of greenhouse gases emissions from the atmosphere. One credit typically represents one metric tonne of CO2 or its equivalent. Companies or individuals purchase these credits from project developers who have generated them through activities like reforestation, cleaner energy, or other emission reduction projects. By buying the credits, they are financing projects that would not otherwise happen, in addition to steps that they are taking to reduce their own emissions.

Mark Kenber, Executive Director, Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) said:

Businesses need clarity and confidence to invest in voluntary carbon and nature markets that help meet global climate goals. This consultation from the UK government plays a vital role in delivering this.

VCMI welcomes the proposal to recognise our Claims Code as international best practice, as well as the global leadership shown by the UK’s proposal to incentivise greater action by companies to address their unabated Scope 3 emissions through the inclusion of our forthcoming Scope 3 Action Code of Practice. The Code of Practice will enable companies to go further, faster and with integrity on climate action.

The proposals in the consultation align with the UK government’s new approach to ensure regulation supports growth. The consultation explores the recommendation in the recently published Corry Review to launch a Nature Market Accelerator to bring coherence to nature markets and accelerate investment.

The consultation will be live for 12 weeks, seeking responses from industry organisations and the public:

Voluntary carbon and nature markets: raising integrity

Onel Masardule, Co-Chair, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Engagement Forum, Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) said:

For the voluntary carbon market to succeed, it must respect the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and make us true partners – rather than just stakeholders – in the market. ICVCM’s The Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) define what high integrity carbon credits should look like: ensuring that new carbon projects have robust social and environmental safeguards, operate with the free, prior and informed consent and are transparent about how they share benefits. I welcome the UK government’s proposal to endorse the use of CCP-labelled credits and encourage other governments to do the same. This will provide clarity on what high integrity means to enable the market to scale to accelerate climate action and deliver positive environmental and social outcomes at the local level.

Notes to editors

The 6 integrity principles being consulted on are:

• suppliers should ensure credits meet recognised high integrity criteria that ensure credits deliver environmental benefits
• buyers should measure and disclose the planned use of credits as part of sustainability reporting
• users should consider how credits feed into wider transition plans that align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement
• claims involving the use of credits should accurately communicate an organisation or product’s overall environmental impact, including by using appropriate and accurate terminology
• market participants should cooperate with others to support the growth of high integrity markets
• credits should only be used in addition to ambitious climate action within value chains

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 15 April 2025.

Ofgem is expected to confirm the National Energy System Operator’s ambitious new plan to reform grid connections and unlock billions of investment.

So-called ‘zombie’ projects will no longer hold up the queue for connection to the electricity grid to prioritise businesses that will drive growth and deliver energy security.

Companies are currently waiting up to 15 years to be connected to the grid leaving promising businesses ‘grid-locked’, and over the last 5 years, the grid connection queue has grown tenfold.

The changes will help to kick-start the economy to put more money in working people’s pockets, the first priority of the government’s Plan for Change.

Ofgem is expected to confirm the ambitious new plan later today (Tuesday 15 April), drafted by the National Energy System Operator in partnership with the energy industry.

The reforms will help unlock £40 billion a year of mainly private investment, growing the economy, creating jobs and raising living standards as a key part of the government’s Plan for Change.

This builds on the latest figures showing that since July, the clean energy industry is now booming in Britain, with £43.7 billion of private investment being announced into the UK’s clean energy industries.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Too many companies are facing gridlock because they cannot get the clean energy they need to drive growth and create jobs.

These changes will axe ‘zombie’ projects and cut the time it takes to get high growth firms online while also fast-tracking connections for companies delivering homegrown power and energy security through our Plan for Change.

In an uncertain world, our message to the global clean energy industry is clear; come and build it in Britain because we are a safe haven. If you want certainty, stability and security when it comes to your investments, choose Britain.

The plan comes after the Prime Minister has said that a new era of global insecurity means that the government must go further and faster reshaping the economy through the Plan for Change, and that this requires a new muscular industrial policy that supports British industry to forge ahead.

Lack of access to grid connections has been a significant factor holding back new investment in UK industries.

Under the new changes, industries of the future from data centres and AI, to wind and solar projects, will be accelerated for grid connections.

That means deprioritising those projects that are not ready or not aligned with strategic plans.

New commitments to investing in the UK have topped £38 billion since July 2024 for data centres alone, but grid access is the single biggest challenge facing these projects.

Today’s reforms will help fast track projects to generate homegrown, renewable electricity into homes and businesses, protecting British billpayers from the rollercoaster of global fossil fuel markets and building an energy system that can bring down bills for good.

Delivering these reforms will help unleash £40 billion a year of mainly private investment in homegrown clean power projects and infrastructure across the country, creating good jobs across the country including engineers, welders and construction workers.

By taking a strategic, planned approach the changes will remove the need for tens of billions of pounds of unnecessary grid reinforcement, saving billpayers £5 billion that would have been funded through charges on bills.

Ofgem CEO, Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive Officer, Ofgem said:

The proposed connection reforms will supercharge Great Britain’s clean power ambitions with a more targeted approach anticipated to unlock £40 billion a year of investment and energise economic growth.

The reforms would cut through red tape, consign ‘zombie projects’ to the past and accelerate homegrown renewable power and energy storage connections as we head to 2030.

Houses and hospitals, electric vehicle charging stations, data centres and the emerging AI sector, would also all benefit from the proposed streamlined fast-track approach, which would help boost energy security and drive down bills.

Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, National Energy System Operator, said:

Reforming the connections process is a key enabler for delivering Clean Power by 2030 and will drive economic growth for Great Britain. Today’s milestone reflects the close collaboration across the energy industry with support from the government and Ofgem.

Together with the wider energy industry, NESO will focus on prioritising agreements for projects that are critical and shovel ready, bringing these to the front of the queue and giving developers the certainty they need to support investment decisions.

Notes to editors

Through the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the government is also bringing forward legislation to support Ofgem and NESO to deliver the reforms.

Every family and business in the country has paid the price of Britain’s dependence on foreign fossil fuel markets, which was starkly exposed when Putin invaded Ukraine and British energy customers were among the hardest hit in Western Europe, with bills reaching record heights.

The government’s clean power mission is the solution to this crisis; by sprinting to clean, homegrown energy, including renewables and nuclear, the UK can take back control of its energy and protect both family and national finances from fossil fuel price spikes with cleaner, affordable power.

The Clean Power Action Plan estimated that Clean Power 2030 could require around £40 billion of investment on average per year between 2025 to 2030. This includes around £30 billion of investment in generation assets per year, estimated by DESNZ, and around £10 billion of investment in electricity transmission network assets per year, estimated by NESO.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 14 April 2025.

Government welcomes Official Partners of International Summit on the Future of Energy Security.

The government has today (Monday 14 April) announced the four Official Partners sponsoring the upcoming summit marking a new era for energy security.

Energy ministers and key energy sector decision makers from around the world will convene at the UK Government and International Energy Agency’s Summit on the Future of Energy Security, co-hosted by the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol, at Lancaster House, London, on 24-25 April.

Sponsorship from Iberdrola/ScottishPower, National Grid, SSE and Urenco will help deliver the summit at a lower cost to UK taxpayers and demonstrates their ongoing commitment to delivering clean energy and energy security in the UK and around the world.

In recent years, energy security has risen up the global agenda as countries act to respond to today’s challenges and protect themselves from future energy shocks. The summit is an opportunity to cooperate on rising to the challenges the world faces on energy security and seizing the opportunities to act. It comes as the UK sets a global example by accelerating to a new era of clean electricity by 2030.

The Official Partners

Iberdrola/ScottishPower

Iberdrola is the largest utility in Europe, with a market capitalization of £85 billion, and serves 100 million people worldwide thanks to a diversified portfolio of businesses across the electricity value chain in the UK, the US, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil and Australia. In the UK, Iberdrola is investing £24 billion up to 2028 through ScottishPower, mainly in transmission and distribution networks and offshore wind. Overall, the Group is dedicating around 70% of its investments to power networks to accelerate electrification as a way to increase energy security and competitiveness, create new industries and jobs, and improve sustainability. Around two thirds of Iberdrola’s global investments are allocated to the UK and to the US

Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán said:

Energy security is the first step towards overall security. Digitalization, big data, AI and the industries of the future rely on a secure power supply, driving demand growth not seen for decades, and network infrastructures are the backbone of a resilient power system.  Driven by the UK Government’s clear and stable energy policies, Iberdrola is investing £24 billion to 2028 in the UK in transmission, distribution and offshore wind to guarantee energy security, growth and competitiveness. We welcome the IEA and UK Government bringing together key policy makers and energy companies to analyse how best to enhance energy security globally.

National Grid

National Grid is investing £60 billion in energy networks over the next five years in the UK and the northeastern United States. This represents nearly double the investment of the previous five years. Its commitment will unlock significant economic growth, create thousands of new jobs, reduce energy bills in the long term, increase energy security, and support an increasingly decarbonised, electrified economy.

National Grid Chief Executive Officer John Pettigrew said:

National Grid is investing £60 billion in energy networks to 2029, boosting energy security, driving economic growth, and supporting 60,000 more jobs across the UK and US. Innovation and investment will be essential to unlocking the benefits of the energy transformation for customers and communities; it is essential that events like this exist to enable the sector to collaborate and drive progress forwards.

SSE

SSE is a UK-listed and headquartered company investing £20 billion over five years to 2027 in renewable energy, electricity networks, and flexible power generation. Harnessing some of Europe’s best renewable resources with projects like Dogger Bank – the world’s largest offshore wind farm – SSE generates homegrown clean energy, protecting billpayers from overdependence on imported fossil fuels. It also builds and operate vital transmission and distribution grids to connect and transport more secure power to homes and businesses. At the same time, through its fleet of flexible generation and storage assets across hydro, batteries and efficient gas-fired power stations, it provides the balance required to ensure an increasingly renewable energy system is not only cleaner but more secure.

SSE Chief Executive Officer Alistair Phillips-Davies said:

It has never been clearer that energy security equates to national security – and achieving it requires countries to focus both on developing their own homegrown energy sources and on international cooperation to ensure increased flexibility and resilience. This principle is at the heart of the UK Government’s Clean Power Mission, and we are proud to be playing our part in delivering mission-critical investments across renewables, networks, and system flexibility. But there is more we can and must do, and we are therefore thrilled to be partnering with the UK Government and the IEA to advance this crucial agenda.

Urenco

Urenco is a global uranium enrichment company, fuelling nuclear power plants to ensure a secure, reliable, and low carbon supply of energy. With four facilities in different countries within the Western world, it is providing customers with choice of where to receive their supply from and are rapidly ramping up capacity to meet increased demand.

Urenco Chief Executive Officer Boris Schucht said:

There are now well-established drivers for an enhanced role of nuclear power: the need to meet climate change goals; and the need for countries to have a secure and independent energy supply. As a long-standing and integral part of the global nuclear industry, Urenco sees it as our responsibility to make a valuable contribution to meeting world-wide energy needs, complementing other low carbon sources through a 24/7 supply which is cost effective over the lifetime of a reactor. We will continue to collaborate with partners across the energy sector and beyond to help ensure the reliable, clean energy system our world needs are achieved.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 7 April 2025.

Government and industry to train up ‘clean power army’ of apprentice engineers, welders, and technicians.

Young people will be trained to fill thousands of clean energy jobs and apprenticeships needed to deliver clean power by 2030 as part of the government’s Plan for Change to get Britain working and unlock growth.

The Energy Secretary has told industry, unions and trade bodies that the government will work with them to build a clean power army to hit ambitious targets for clean power by 2030 at a forum convened with the Work and Pensions Secretary today (Monday 7 April 2025).

The transition to clean power will create thousands of opportunities across the sector, from renewables to upgrading the UK’s grid infrastructure.

National Grid alone plans to support around 55,000 more jobs by the end of the decade and SSE Transmission plans are supporting a further 37,000 jobs, 17,500 of which would be in Scotland. Scottish Power’s SP Energy Networks plans to double its transmission workforce to create around 1,400 jobs and support a further 11,000 jobs across the UK – with all 3 plans subject to approvals by the regulator.

The government is driving forward with Regional Skills Pilot in the clean energy sector. Aberdeen, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire have all been identified as key growth regions for clean energy. Local partners will receive funding to identify the skills support that is needed in their area to deliver clean power by 2030, which will protect households and businesses from unstable fossil fuel markets for good.

Funding could go towards new training centres, courses or career advisers – supporting local people into opportunities in industries such as welding, electrical engineering, and construction.

The government is wasting no time in investing in good jobs for British industries, including thousands of new, skilled jobs being supported in the North East of England as contracts for the first carbon capture, usage and storage were signed in December, following a £21.7 billion commitment from the government to ensure the UK’s vision for CCUS becomes a reality. The government has also invested £55 million for port of Cromarty, to transform it into a major hub for the UK’s world-leading floating offshore wind industry, creating hundreds of skilled jobs and generating growth.

The latest CBI Economics figures show jobs supported by net zero sectors increased by 10% last year, with the average annual wage across the sector at £43,000 – £5,600 higher than the national average.

The push to support more clean energy jobs comes as the government delivers the most ambitious reforms of the UK’s energy system in a generation and record investment into homegrown clean energy projects.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

The energy sector has always been a source of good, skilled, and unionised jobs for young people across the UK, providing secure, well-paid employment for life.

To meet our target to reach clean power by 2030, we need a clean power army of engineers, welders and technicians – giving thousands of young people the opportunity to play a vital role in tackling the climate crisis, increasing our energy security and boosting the economy to deliver our Plan for Change.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

With almost a million young people neither earning nor learning it is vital that we give this generation the tools they need to seize the opportunity that is the clean energy transition.

Our plan to Get Britian Working will overhaul employment support, giving everyone the tools and skills they need to and build a stronger, more prosperous future for them and their families.

The government launched its Get Britain Working white paper late last year, outlining the biggest employment reforms in a generation and boost employment including reforming Jobcentres to create a genuinely public employment service so everyone can get personalised skills and employment support, as well as a Youth Guarantee ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn. Alongside government work to drive up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.

The government is working closely with employers to train up Britain’s young people to seize clean energy opportunities. Trade unions will also have an essential role in building the UK’s skilled energy workforce, with the government determined to drive world-class pay, terms, and conditions in the clean energy sector. The government is already driving better access and conditions for unions in the energy sector- since July EDF Renewables UK and Ireland have signed one of the first renewables industry recognition agreements with Prospect, Unite, GMB and UNISON.

The government has also launched Skills England and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions.

Opportunities are already being created through a number of schemes and initiatives to deliver training and skills for apprentices and workers transitioning from the fossil fuel sector, including innovative schemes such as the:

• Skills Passport: This supports oil and gas workers to identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance
• Your Apprenticeship app: A new app designed by the government with extensive input from apprentices to provide easier access to essential tools, resources, and support to help apprentices to thrive in their qualification

Whilst driving up employment and opportunities, the renewable sector will also continue to turbocharge the economy.

CBI Economics analysis commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows that the net zero sector already contributes £83 billion annually to the UK economy, with further investment into projects predicted to grow this even further.

Government research has also revealed the extent in which apprenticeships can help drive this growth, with apprentices in England across the economy estimated to create £25 billion of economic growth over their lifetime.

Through investment and initiatives, the government will help build the pipeline of skilled workers needed to deliver clean power by 2030, which will unlock £40 billion of investment a year and reindustrialise Britain with thousands of good jobs across the country. This underscores the government’s commitment to deliver a jobs-rich clean energy transition, putting communities and trade unions at the heart of the UK’s clean energy future.

Notes to editors

Skills is a devolved policy area, and therefore the remit of Skills England and the Your Apprenticeship App will only cover England. However, Skills England will assess skills needs across the whole of the UK and DESNZ is working closely with the devolved governments on ensuring we have the skilled workforce for the clean energy transition, including through the Regional Skills Pilots.

The RIIO T3 business plans for the UK’s 3 electricity transmission companies are all subject to approval by the energy regulator Ofgem.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 7 April 2025.

A new wave of hydrogen powered projects have been shortlisted today to help cut emissions and create thousands of jobs in the UK’s industrial heartlands.

A new wave of hydrogen powered projects have been shortlisted today (Monday 7 April) to help cut emissions and create thousands of jobs in the UK’s industrial heartlands – driving growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Twenty-seven hydrogen projects have been selected for the next stage of the Second Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR2) – supporting low-carbon hydrogen production in the UK. The industry has the potential to attract over £1 billion of private sector investment into the UK by 2029, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.

Hydrogen will help deliver a new era of clean energy across the UK and decarbonise emission-intensive industries. It has already attracted £400 million of private sector investment in towns and cities such as Milford Haven in Wales and High Marnham in Nottinghamshire, and is creating over 700 direct jobs in construction and operations.

Government support for hydrogen will help create thousands more jobs in the sector and reindustrialising the UK’s proud manufacturing regions. This includes roles for apprentices, graduates and technically trained professionals, such as engineers, welders, skilled construction workers, pipefitters and operations specialists.

Today’s shortlist includes projects that could use hydrogen to help tackle the climate crisis by decarbonising their manufacturing and industrial practices, including ammonia production, new clean power generation, glass manufacturing, brick making, and sustainable aviation fuel production.

Industry Minister Sarah Jones, said:

 We are deploying hydrogen at a commercial scale for the first time – not just investing in a technology – but investing in British jobs, our proud manufacturing communities and our energy security.

From distilleries and sustainable aviation fuel to public transport and clean energy  generation, hydrogen can power our everyday life and unlock clean energy growth across the country as part of our Plan for Change.

Green hydrogen is produced by using renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, resulting in a zero-carbon fuel that can be used for power generation, transport  and industrial processes.

This builds on the success of the First Hydrogen Allocation Round which saw 11 projects being allocated over £2 billion in government funding. One recipient, Whitelee Green Hydrogen in Scotland, will produce hydrogen for the Inchdairnie Whiskey distillery which intends to sustainably distil whisky by 2027.

Stretching across England, Scotland, and Wales, this latest wave of shortlisted HAR2 projects showcases the government’s commitment to create skilled jobs and establish clean energy hubs across Great Britain. The HAR2 shortlist could lead to projects that help support strong supply chains and the delivery of the clean energy superpower mission.

Dr Emma Guthrie, CEO of the Hydrogen Energy Association, said:

This much-anticipated announcement brings vital clarity to the UK’s hydrogen sector, providing a crucial boost for projects that will drive forward the country’s low-carbon transition.

The funding support offered through HAR2 gives our members and the wider industry the confidence to gear up for delivery, unlocking investment, creating jobs, and driving economic growth.

This is great news – not just for the hydrogen sector but for the UK’s ambition to become energy secure and a global leader in clean energy.

Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said:

We’re thrilled to see many Hydrogen UK members succeed in the second Hydrogen Allocation Round, marking a crucial step for scaling electrolytic hydrogen.

This progress builds on valuable lessons from past rounds and strengthens UK leadership in clean energy – reinforcing the sector’s crucial role in economic growth and energy security.

Case studies

In December 2023, the government announced an initial 11 projects from the First Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1), totalling 124 MW of production capacity.

Five of these projects have signed their contracts, including the Bradford Low Carbon project in Yorkshire and the Cromarty Hydrogen Project in northeast Scotland.

The Bradford Low Carbon project, in the heart of the city centre, will use renewable electricity to power a 10.6 MW alkaline electrolyser. Being developed by Hygen and Ryze, it will supply the mobility sector, including JCB diggers and Wrightbus – which developed the world’s first hydrogen powered bus.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project is being developed by Scottish Power and Storegga. It will use electricity from nearby wind farms to power an 11 MW electrolyser, supplying hydrogen to local industries, including distilleries.

Notes to editors

The full list of shortlisted projects can be found here: Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 (HAR2): shortlisted projects.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 3 April 2025.

A first of its kind partnership between the government and private sector could see over £100 million invested into the UK’s growing fusion energy industry.

Today (3 April) the government has announced £20 million to kickstart ‘Starmaker One’ – a British private fusion investment fund that will help fusion businesses and start-ups in the sector grow and commercialise at scale.

It is expected the upfront investment will unlock further investment from the private sector as the fusion industry grows – helping cement the UK as a world leader in the technology and creating highly-skilled jobs.

Fusion uses the same process that powers the sun by combining two forms of hydrogen and heating them at extreme temperatures, releasing vast amounts of energy.

Companies in the UK have often identified lack of access to capital as a barrier to scaling up and commercialising their businesses. An injection of cash from government will give the private sector confidence to invest in fusion, developing its vast potential as an unlimited source of energy and ensuring the UK continues to compete in the global fusion race.

The funding boost will help small fusion companies provide training for their workforce in key areas such as physics, engineering and chemistry. It will also support companies to develop technologies and capitalise on the opportunities of fusion energy in markets such as magnetics, industrial AI, robotics, healthcare, transportation and energy storage.

Fusion already supports thousands of jobs in the UK, in regions such as Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire and South Yorkshire, with thousands more to follow as the technology advances. Fusion is a key industry sector in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor with independent research from London Economics showing that every £1 invested in fusion it benefits the economy by nearly £4.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

This government is taking back control of Britain’s energy by driving for clean homegrown power through our Plan for Change.

Fusion has the potential to provide us with energy security, whilst attracting the best technologies to our shores and training up the next generation of British scientists and engineers.

We are backing both nuclear and fusion power, and today we take a step forward in growing this exciting industry.

Science Minister and Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion, Lord Vallance said:

Fusion energy is a technology with enormous potential, and an industry in which the UK is already well established.    This investment will help to unlock the funding the fusion industry needs to grow, which will boost regions across the UK such as Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, and in Culham in Oxfordshire, the epicentre of UK fusion.

Energy Minister Kerry McCarthy, said:

This investment is our Plan for Change in action – we are backing British pioneers to secure the clean energy of the future while supporting jobs today, from scientists and welders to engineers and construction managers.

As countries around the world recognise the huge potential of fusion, breakthroughs in this technology are happening thick and fast, and we want to keep the UK at the forefront of the global race by helping projects to innovate and grow here, in turn driving economic growth.

Investment in Starmaker One signals the first early-stage fusion energy venture capital fund outside the US and the first of its kind to partner with government as an investor. Investing in fusion technology will pave the way to delivering a clean safe, secure and abundant baseload energy, helping to meet rising energy demand in the years ahead.

This investment will give industry cash upfront to grow their businesses and supply chains. It follows on from a government commitment for a record level of £410 million, announced in January, for UK fusion research and collaboration with other countries to develop clean, unlimited power and drive economic growth.

Successful deployment of fusion energy would be globally transformative and allow the UK to export the technology to a global fusion market expected to be worth trillions of pounds in the future.

This notice is for information only and does not constitute an invitation to invest. The fund is not available to retail investors.

Notes for editors

• Starmaker One is a limited partnership in which the government is a cornerstone investor. The fund has potential to raise between £100 million and £150 million overall (including the £20 million from DESNZ) for investment into fusion-related technology
• East X Ventures will act as fund manager. Government will receive a share of any returns made by the partnership
• East X Ventures is the venture capital arm of East X, a London based quantitative systematic research and investment firm operating across global commodity markets.  East X Ventures invests in early-stage, science-led companies with high-growth, world-scale potential
• The funding comes from the government’s existing Research and Development budget for 2024/2025.