Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 23/02/23.
News: UK faces £62bn clean energy investment shortfall, Ministers warned – Edie.net
21 February 2023. Investment for low carbon generation has “deteriorated significantly” in recent months, with the UK facing a potential £62bn shortfall over the next decade, industry experts have warned:
Link: https://www.edie.net/uk-faces-62bn-clean-energy-investment-shortfall-ministers-warned/
News: Energy providers demand government incentives to stop UK providers losing out on green projects – City AM
20 February 2023, Nicholas Earl. The energy sector is ramping up pressure on the government to bolster investment in green projects, with Renewable UK the latest to raise concerns the country could be overtaken by rivals such as the US and EU:
News: EDF’s UK profits soar after electricity price hikes – BBC News Online
17 February 2023, Simon Read. French energy giant EDF’s UK arm returned to profit in 2022, boosted by it being able to sell the electricity it generated for a higher price:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64647854
News: British Gas owner expected to reveal record profits of £3bn – Guardian Online
15 February 2023, Alex Lawson. Britain’s largest energy supplier only recently ended its much-criticised forced installation of prepayment meters:
News: Households could start switching energy suppliers in bid for cheaper deals as price cap plummets – City AM
15 February 2023, Nicholas Earl. Millions of Brits could switch suppliers in the second half of 2023 in search of cheaper deals, with the energy market is expected to become more competitive as gas prices ease later this year:
Research briefing: Regulation of customer credit retained by energy suppliers – House of Commons Library
15 February 2023. A Westminster Hall debate is scheduled for 9.30am on Wednesday 22 February on regulation of customer credit retained by energy suppliers. The debate will be opened by Drew Hendry MP:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0040/
News: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero confirms Ministerial line-up, but fails to resolve naming riddle – Business Green
14 February 2023, James Murray. The newly minted Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNeZ) has confirmed its full ministerial line up:
News: Don’t let the NIMBYs win: Onshore wind is essential to UK’s energy future – City AM
13 February 2023, Nicholas Earl. President Volodomyr Zelensky’s recent visit to Parliament nearly a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reflected the government’s sustained loyalty to Ukraine, and continuing resolve in the face of soaring energy prices, immense pressure on the global economy and persistent Kremlin aggression:
Link: https://www.cityam.com/dont-let-the-nimbys-win-onshore-wind-is-essential-to-uks-energy-future/
News: New hydrogen levy is ‘harmful’ and could stoke inflation, Tory MPs warn – City AM
12 February 2023, Jessica Frank-Keyes. Plans for a new tax on energy bills to fund research into hydrogen have been opposed by senior Tory MPs arguing it would be “harmful” and make inflation worse:
Link: https://www.cityam.com/new-hydrogen-levy-is-harmful-and-could-stoke-inflation-tory-mps-warn/
News: Onshore wind: ‘I’ve saved £200 because of my local turbine’ – BBC News Online
11 February 2023, Becky Morton. For more than seven years there has been an effective ban on new onshore wind developments in England after a planning clampdown:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64264643
News: NatWest to end new business loans for oil and gas extraction – Guardian Online
10 February 2023, Kalyeena Makortoff. Bank also plans to phase out similar lending for existing customers under its first climate transition plan:
Research: Splitting opinion – is splitting the wholesale market the best way to deliver an affordable energy system? – Citizens Advice
9 February 2023. As the statutory advocate for consumers in the energy sector, Citizens Advice is considering how reforms to electricity markets can help to deliver an affordable and sustainable energy system that works for consumers. In the coming months, we will be publishing a series of discussion papers examining these reforms in detail:
Commons Debate: Independent Review of Net Zero – Hansard
9 February 2023. Text of Commons Debate on the Independent Review of Net Zero:
News: England built just two onshore wind turbines in 2022: What needs to change? EuroNews
8 February 2023, Rosie Frost. Only two onshore wind turbines were built in England last year, according to trade body RenewableUK:
News: In U-turn, Brussels recommends EU-wide exit from controversial Energy Charter Treaty – EuroNews
7 February 2023, Jorge Liboreiro. In a notable U-turn, the European Commission has proposed a collective and coordinated exit of all 27 member states from the controversial Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), an obscure international agreement that protects energy investors from unexpected circumstances that might hurt their profit expectations:
Statistics: Final UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics: 1990 to 2021 – Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
7 February 2023. Final estimates of UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions:
Open consultation: UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Certification Scheme – Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
7 February 2023. This consultation seeks views on the design elements of a low carbon hydrogen certification scheme:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-low-carbon-hydrogen-certification-scheme
News: We asked experts how BP can make record profits in the cost of living crisis – The Big Issue
7 February 2023, Alastair Reid, Isabella Mcrae. BP profits have more than doubled to £23billion. How is the company making so much money in the cost of living crisis?:
News: Gordon Brown demands £300,000-a-year Ofgem boss resigns over prepay energy meter scandal – Independent Online
7 February 2023, Adam Forrest. Former PM says regulator ‘failed dismally’ – and warns victims of debt have been forced to offer sexual favours or sell drugs to ‘circling’ loan sharks:
Link: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/gordon-brown-ofgem-prepayment-meters-b2277381.html