Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 23/11/23.
News: Energy price cap will rise in January adding pressure on households – BBC News Online
23 November 2023, Kevin Peachey. Household energy prices will rise in January putting more financial pressure on billpayers at the coldest time of year:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67484090
News: Huge boost for UK green industries with £960 million government investment and major reform of power network – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and The Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP
23 November 2023. Government sets out plans to speed up connections and increase grid capacity to boost energy security:
News: RenewableUK welcomes measures in Chancellor’s Autumn Statement to accelerate green growth – Energy-pedia News
23 November 2023. Responding to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail:
News: Earth crosses 2C warning line for first time – The Independent Online
21 November 2023, Stuti Mishra & Louise Boyle. The breach, while temporary, surpasses upper warming limit of the global Paris Agreement:
Link: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/temperature-disaster-climate-cop28-b2450294.html
News: Richest 1% account for more carbon emissions than poorest 66%, report says – Guardian Online
20 November 2023, Jonathan Watts. ‘Polluter elite’ are plundering the planet to point of destruction, says Oxfam after comprehensive study of climate inequality:
Call for input: Standing charges – call for input – Ofgem
16 November 2023. This call for input is the first part of Ofgem’s discussion paper to engage with the debate on and whether they need to make changes. Deadline: Friday 19 January 2024:
Link: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/standing-charges-call-input
News: Ofgem revisits standing charges in energy bills – Future Net Zero
16 November 2023, Dimitris Mavrokefalidis. The energy regulator has reopened the public debate on standing charges, inviting input and alternative proposals from various stakeholders:
Link: https://www.futurenetzero.com/2023/11/16/ofgem-revisits-standing-charges-in-energy-bills/
Research briefing: Debate on energy social tariffs – House of Commons Library
16 November 2023. A Westminster Hall debate has been scheduled for 3pm on 23 November on energy social tariffs. The debate will be opened by Marion Fellows MP:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0202/
Consultation: Open consultation: Introducing a Contracts for Difference (CfD) Sustainable Industry Reward – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
16 November 2023. Views sought on the CfD Sustainable Industry Reward which aims to accelerate deployment of low carbon electricity generation through offshore / floating offshore wind. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 11 January 2024:
Collection: Contracts for Difference (CfD): Allocation Round 7 – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
16 November 2023. Documents and guidance related to the Contracts for Difference seventh allocation round (AR7):
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/contracts-for-difference-cfd-allocation-round-7
Research and analysis: Review of power generation costs for floating offshore wind and tidal stream energy technologies – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
16 November 2023. Reviews of cost and technical assumptions for floating offshore wind and tidal stream energy:
News: Boost for offshore wind as government raises maximum prices in renewable energy auction – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, The Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP, Gareth Davies MP, and The Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP
16 November 2023. Maximum price that other renewables projects can receive in the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction has also been raised:
News: MPs criticise lack of long-term plans for UK to reach net-zero – Edie.net
15 November 2023, Matt Mace. MPs have criticised the Government for a lack of long-term planning on delivering net-zero, warning that levels of public finance are inadequate and dampening business efforts to unlock low-carbon innovation:
Link: https://www.edie.net/mps-criticise-lack-of-long-term-plans-for-uk-to-reach-net-zero/
Research Briefing: Floating offshore wind – House of Commons Library
15 November 2023. A Westminster Hall debate took place on Thursday 16 November on floating offshore wind. Background briefing papers:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0208/
Comment: John Redwood: Net Zero. We need urgently to rethink the way we calculate carbon emissions – Conservative Home
15 November 2023, Sir Jonathan Redwood MP. The Prime Minister made a little headway with Conservative opinion when he announced a new realism concerning the road to Net Zero. Former Tory voters who are telling pollsters they will abstain or vote Reform took some interest in what he had to say:
Article: ‘Paying in lives’: health of billions at risk from global heating, warns report – Guardian Online
14 November 2023, Sarah Boseley, Inaction on the climate crisis is ‘costing lives and livelihoods’ due to extreme heat, food insecurity and infectious diseases, say scientists:
Research briefing: The UK’s plans and progress to reach net zero by 2050 – House of Commons Library
14 November 2023. The UK is committed to reaching net zero by 2050. This briefing provides an overview of the background context for net zero, the plans in place to reach this goal, and current progress:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9888/
Research briefing: Gas and electricity prices under the Energy Price Guarantee and beyond – House of Commons library
13 November 2023. The Energy Price Guarantee set maximum consumer prices from October 2022 to June 2023. A lower price cap in July 2023 meant energy prices fell for the first time in around 20 months:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9714/
News: Onshore wind projects in England stall as no new applications are received – The Observer in the Guardian Online
11 November 2023, Toby Helm. Fears grow that Rishi Sunak’s anti-green policy shift is driving investment in renewable energy abroad:
News: Carbon emissions threaten 1.5C climate threshold sooner than thought – report – BBC News Online
30 October 2023, Matt McGrath. Human fossil fuel emissions are threatening a key climate threshold more quickly than previously thought, a new report says:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67242386