Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 24/02/24.
News: UK quits ‘outdated’ treaty that could penalise shift to net zero – The Independent Online
22 February 2024, Emily Beament. The Energy Charter Treaty dating from the 1990s lets fossil fuel giants sue governments over climate policies:
Policy paper: Strategy and policy statement for energy policy in Great Britain – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
21 February 2024. Strategic policy statement setting out the government’s priorities for energy policy in Great Britain:
Policy paper: Strategy and policy statement for energy policy in Great Britain – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
21 February 2024. Strategic policy statement setting out the government’s priorities for energy policy in Great Britain:
News: UK ministers in court again over net zero plans – Guardian Online
20 February 2024, Damien Gayle. Friends of the Earth dismisses government’s revised climate action plan as a ‘pipe dream’:
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/20/uk-ministers-in-court-again-over-net-zero-plans
Research briefing: Fuel poverty in the UK – House of Commons Library
19 February 2024. Record energy price rises have led to concern that more families will be drawn into ever deeper fuel poverty. This briefing at how fuel poverty varies across the UK, policies to address fuel poverty, and stakeholder comment on the issue:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8730/
News: World’s largest oil companies have made $281bn profit since invasion of Ukraine – Guardian Online
19 February 2024, Mark Sweney. Global Witness says the five ‘super-majors’ are the ‘main winners of the war’ while many struggle to heat their homes:
Research briefing: Debate on the Civil Nuclear Roadmap – House of Commons Library
16 February 2024. A debate in the Commons Chamber was scheduled for 22 February 2024 on the Civil Nuclear Roadmap:
Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2024-0036/
News: Spending watchdog launches investigation into Sellafield – Guardian Online
15 February 2024, Anna Isaac and Alex Lawson. National Audit Office to examine risks and costs at nuclear waste site in Cumbria:
News: Zero plans for public onshore windfarms submitted last year in England – Guardian Online
15 February 2024, Fiona Harvey. Lack of activity persists despite lifting of ban on projects last year, and contrasts with 46 applications made in Scotland:
News: British Gas profits leap from £72m to £751m in a year – guardian Online
15 February 2024, Kalyeena Makortoff. Unite union says UK energy supplier’s bumper results ‘come off the back of exorbitant energy bills’:
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/feb/15/british-gas-profits-energy-bills-centrica
Consultation outcome: Developing local partnerships for onshore wind in England – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
15 February 2024. This consultation sought views on improvements that could be made to the existing system of community engagement and community benefits for onshore wind in England:
National statistics: Fuel poverty factsheet 2024 – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
15 February 2024. A summary of the 2023 headline fuel poverty figures and the key characteristics of the fuel poor in 2023:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-factsheet-2024
Article: Labour’s new windfall tax plan sparks job loss warning – Energy-pedia News
12 February 2024. The UK’s offshore energy industry has warned 42,000 jobs and £26billion of economic value would be wiped out under new Labour proposals to extend the windfall tax on UK oil and gas producers:
News: ‘This feels like a betrayal’: Labour plans ‘proper windfall tax’ on oil and gas industry – Energy Voice
8 February 2024, Allister Thomas. Labour will introduce a “proper windfall tax” on the oil and gas industry if it comes to power at the election, including a rate increase and cutting investment allowances:
Link: https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/547509/labour-windfall-tax-oil-gas/
News: Connect but don’t supply: Solar Energy UK denounces grid delay ‘farce’ – Solar Energy UK
7 February 2024, Gareth Simkins. Many solar power and battery energy storage projects will be connected to the grid more quickly than had been expected – but won’t be able to able to supply power to it for years, according to a series of bizarre messages from grid operators:
Link: https://solarenergyuk.org/news/mps-to-be-told-grid-delays-are-descending-into-farce/