Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 23/03/22.
News: Cabinet split over changing planning law to allow more wind farms – BBC News Online
23 March 2022, Ione Wells. Boris Johnson’s cabinet is split over proposals to ease planning rules in England to enable more onshore wind farms, sources have told the BBC:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60837170
Formal meeting (oral evidence session): Energy pricing and the future of the Energy Market – Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
22 March 2022. Meeting details:
Link: https://committees.parliament.uk/event/13217/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/
Announcement: Andy Samuel on the OGA becoming the North Sea Transition Authority – North Sea Transition Authority
21 March 2022. The organisation was founded as the Oil and Gas Authority in 2015, tasked with maximising the value of the oil and gas industry. Last year, they revised their strategy to fully incorporate net zero in their decision making. They are now becoming the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) to reflect their expanded role, which includes emissions monitoring and carbon storage licensing:
Open consultation – Jet zero: updated evidence and analysis to inform our strategy for net zero aviation – Department for Transport
21 March 2022. Further consultation on the updated evidence and analysis to inform the different pathways to achieve net zero aviation – or jet zero – by 2050:
News: Energy traders call for emergency liquidity support amid price volatility – Current News
18 March 2022, Molly Lempriere. The European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET) has called for the creation of a time limited emergency liquidity support system, to ensure the continued function of the wholesale energy markets amid continued volatility:
News: Climate change: IPCC scientists to examine carbon removal in key report – BBC News Online
21 March 2022, Matt McGrath. UN scientists are likely to weigh up technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, as they gather to finalise a key report:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60798220
News: FUEL DUTY PLEA Over 50 Tory MPs break cover and demand Rishi Sunak slashes fuel duty to help struggling Brits – The Sun
17 March 2022, Kate Ferguson. MORE than 50 Tory MPs today break cover to urge Rishi Sunak to cut fuel duty in next week’s mini Budget and help millions of struggling families:
Link: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17985171/rishi-sunak-fuel-duty-slash-tory-mps-demand/
News: The numbers behind the record-breaking rise of the UK’s battery storage market – Energy Storage News
17 March 2022, Mollie McCorkindale. From 2016 onwards, the UK energy markets’s appetite for battery energy storage systems (BESS) has grown and grown, making it one of the leading centres of activity in the global market today. Solar Media Market Research analyst Mollie McCorkindale offers an insight into that trajectory and illustrates where the market is today:
News: Labour MP Graham Stringer to join Nigel Farage at anti-net zero rally – Guardian Online
16 March 2022, Jessica Elgot. Pro-leave MP is due to speak at event to launch Farage’s campaign for a referendum on net zero:
Article: CCC: “We cannot reach net zero if we continue to use gas for heat” – Future Net Zero
10 March 2022, Dimitris Mavrokefalidis. There are still funding and policy gaps in the government’s Heat and Buildings strategy, the CCC has said:
News: Michael Gove ‘not convinced’ by case for more fracking in UK – Guardian Online
16 March 2022, Rowena Mason. Levelling up secretary calls for more onshore wind as ministers explore case for reversing fracking ban:
News: Civil society groups call for tripling of onshore wind and solar capacity amid energy crisis – Current News
16 March 2022, Molly Lempriere. A coalition of 38 civil society groups have called on government to support households facing surging energy bills, to scale up measures to reduce gas use and to drive forwards renewable energy:
Article: Boris Johnson Promises “Massive Jump Forward” In Renewables As He Visits Middle East To Tackle Energy Crisis – Politics Home
16 March 2022, Alain Tolhurst. Boris Johnson said this will help deal with the cost of living crisis caused by spiralling prices for gas and oil, exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine:
Text: Urgent Question debate in the Commons on Shale Gas Production – Parallel Parliament
15 March 2022. Lee Anderson MP: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to confirm what the Government’s current stance is on shale gas production in the UK:
Link: https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/debate/2022-03-15/commons/commons-chamber/shale-gas-production
Article: Blow to fracking in England as only five of 138 MPs in target areas voice support – Guardian Online
5 March 2022, Helena Horton and Damian Carrington. Exclusive: Survey in constituencies with fracking potential show MPs against it or wary of commenting:
Article: Proposals For A New Nuclear Plant In Wales Pick Up Momentum As Ministers Overhaul Energy Plan – Politics Home
5 March 2022, Adam Payne. There is growing momentum within government for a new nuclear plant in north Wales as part of plans being worked up to produce more domestic energy, Politics Home understands:
Link: https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/nuclear-plant-wales-wylfa-newydd-domestic-energy-plan
Column: The case for Sunak announcing a windfall tax on energy companies next week – Conservative Home
5 March 2022, David Willetts. The Treasury is supposed to work on a stable and predictable annual calendar of economic events. Other departments, like the Foreign Office or Home Office, may just respond to one crisis after another but the Treasury has a regular timetable it can stick to – rather like the annual pattern of rural life in one of those beautiful illustrated medieval cycles of the seasons:
News: Energy UK calls on Chancellor Sunak to provide additional support measures – Current News
14 March 2022, Molly Lempriere. Energy UK has called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to provide additional support measures for consumers and the economy amid volatile energy prices:
News: Wind farms to pay back £660m under CfD scheme amid high gas prices – Current News
14 March 2022, Molly Lempriere. Wind farms are expected to pay back £660 million under the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme amid the current energy crisis:
News: Wind, solar, hydrogen, nuclear and efficiency: Labour unveils five-point energy security plan – Edie.net
11 March 2022. The Labour Party has outlined a five-point plan for accelerating the end of fossil fuel imports and protecting consumers from rising bills, ahead of the publication of the Government’s promised Energy Independence Strategy:
News: Climate change: Can the Russian energy crisis help to curb global heating? – BBC News Online
11 March 2022, Roger Harrabin. Can the government wean Britain off Russian gas while also keeping energy affordable and hitting its climate change targets?:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60683929
News: UK Government kick-starts approval process for Rolls Royce’s small nuclear reactors – Edie.net
8 March 2022. The UK Government has asked the nuclear industry regulator to begin the approval process for Rolls-Royce’s small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), which Boris Johnson first signalled support for through the Ten-Point Plan in 2020:
News: Climate change: EU unveils plan to end reliance on Russian gas – BBC News Online
8 March 2022, Matt McGrath. As countries scramble to reduce their reliance on Russia’s oil and gas in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine, few places are as exposed as the European Union:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60664799
Speech: Jonathan Brearley’s speech at Future of Utilities event – Ofgem
8 March 2022. Full text of speech available:
Link: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/jonathan-brearleys-speech-future-utilities-event