Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 24/03/25.
News: France to replace EDF boss ahead of nuclear buildout – Reuters
21 March 2025, Dominique Vidalon and Forrest Crellin. France is overhauling the leadership at state-owned utility EDF, as the heavily indebted company gears up to build six new nuclear reactors for the country while struggling to sign up long-term customers for its power:
Press release: Great British Energy to cut bills for hospitals and schools – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care, Great British Energy, The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP and Karin Smyth MP
21 March 2025. Great British Energy’s first project will put rooftop solar panels on 200 schools and 200 hospitals – cutting energy bills:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-to-cut-bills-for-hospitals-and-schools
Press release: Britain on fast track to net zero with early access to £4 billion infrastructure investment – Ofgem
20 March 2025. British renewable energy projects will be connected quicker thanks to new Ofgem rules granting early access to almost £4 billion of investment for crucial transmission equipment and services:
Article: Plans to link electricity bills to where you live are unlikely to bring down prices – and that’s a big problem for net zero – The Conversation
17 March 2025, Nicholas Harrington. A proposed reform to the way electricity is priced in Britain could see households pay a different bill based on their postcode:
News: Project Willow study to propose up to £13bn of investments in Grangemouth – Energy Voice
13 March 2025, Anna Kachkova. A feasibility study exploring options for overhauling the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland is reportedly set to propose £3.8 billion of investments in low-carbon alternatives for the site over ten years:
Article: UK emissions fell to lowest level since 1872 last year, analysis finds – The Independent Online
13 March 2025, Rebecca Speare-Cole. The country’s planet-warming emissions fell by 3.6% to 371 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mtco2e) in 2024, Carbon Brief found:
News: Planning and Infrastructure Bill enacts ‘seismic reforms’ to clean energy development process – Current Nes
11 March 2025, Molly Green. Planning reforms introduced by the government this morning will enable measures to speed up planning decisions on key infrastructure including renewable energy developments:
Article: ‘Urgent action’ needed to save Starmer’s 2030 energy bill cut, says industry body – The Guardian Online
11 March 2025, Joanna Partridge. Higher costs from April on course to derail prime minister’s plan for £300 bill reduction, warns Energy UK:
Form: IPCC 7th Assessment Report (AR7): call for authors – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
11 March 2025. The UK has been invited to nominate experts for participation in the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report (AR7):
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ipcc-7th-assessment-report-ar7-call-for-authors
Notice: Long Duration Electricity Storage: technical details of the scheme and its operation – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem
11 March 2025. The joint government and Ofgem Technical Decision Document confirm details of the Long Duration Electricity Storage (LDES) cap and floor scheme and how it will operate:
Press release: Planning revolution to fuel growth and make Britain energy secure – Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP and The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP
10 March 2025. Dozens of clean energy projects will jump to the front of the queue for grid connections, through new measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/planning-revolution-to-fuel-growth-and-make-britain-energy-secure
Press release: Households near new pylons to save hundreds on energy bills – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP and The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP
10 March 2025. Government delivers commitment to ensure households near new or upgraded pylons will save up to £250 a year for 10 years, as part of the Plan for Change:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/households-near-new-pylons-to-save-hundreds-on-energy-bills
News: UK ‘can harness radioactive waste for energy’ after tech breakthrough – The Telegraph in Yahoo News
8 March 2025, Matt Oliver. A technology breakthrough will allow Britain to transform its stockpile of plutonium into nuclear fuel instead of burying it underground, ministers have been told:
Link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/uk-harness-radioactive-waste-energy-100000012.html