Ruth Herbert, Chief Executive, CCSA:
“The King’s Speech is a key indicator of the Government’s priorities, and we are pleased to see low carbon energy and the net zero economy at the heart of its legislative agenda.”
… “With the Prime Minister stating that he wants to take the brakes off Britain, we need to see this ambition applied to CCUS projects, where there is up to £30 billion of private investment waiting to be deployed across the UK’s industrial regions. The Government has a window of opportunity to secure Final Investment Decisions on Track-1 CCUS clusters in the North-West and North-East of England by September – infrastructure that will deliver industrial decarbonisation, clean hydrogen and flexible low carbon power. We have a very exciting opportunity here in the UK to deliver the world’s first large scale integrated CCUS clusters. With investors watching closely, it is vital that these projects are given the go-ahead immediately”
Trevor Hutchings, chief executive, Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA):
“These proposals, following the flurry of activity we have seen since the new Government has taken office, mark a welcome step-change from what the sector has seen in recent years. Net zero and the clean energy transition are the economic opportunity of the 21st Century, delivering jobs, secure and affordable energy and helping to address climate change. It is essential that the government now doubles down to deliver on this agenda.
“We await to see the finer details behind these proposals, as well as some areas that the King’s Speech did not cover. For example, the growing need to address electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and measures to promote the circular bioeconomy, as outlined in the REA’s First 100 Days action plan for the Government.
“I would urge the Government to work with industry as an essential partner as we deliver a shared ambition of green growth for this country.”
Edward Glass, senior associate in the commercial real estate team, Forsters:
“The objectives are clear but we are still missing the detail for the role of the real estate sector in accelerating the transition, particularly as a platform for onsite renewable energy storage, for example on-site photo voltaics. The sector is also as a significant consumer of energy. The industry is craving a clear line of sight on regulation and opportunity for investment in the area. Many would argue that rather than headline grabbing public investment and creation of new bodies, we need clarity on what should be done in areas such as ease of securing planning and grid connections. Further guidance on minimum energy efficiency regulations is still missing, as well as what “net zero” actually means within the built environment. For example, many commercial real estate investors are asking, is it EPC B by 2030 or not? Hopefully Labour is aware of this and further announcements are in the near-term pipeline.”
David Buttress, chief executive, OVO:
“The energy retail market requires sweeping reforms to make sure it works for customers, their wallets and the planet.
“We want to see these reflected in the Great British Energy Bill through the introduction of a social tariff, policy changes to make it cheaper to power homes with renewables, and reform to the standing charge which unfairly impacts those who can least afford it.”
Niamh O Regan, Researcher, Social Market Foundation:
“Becoming a clean energy superpower is a high aim for the new Labour government, but it is not an insurmountable task. It has promised £8.3 billion over the course of the next parliament to help achieve this through the much anticipated GB Energy.
“Investment from the company into renewables will undoubtedly be helped along by the expected planning reforms and reversal of the effective ban on new onshore wind. “However, a little under a third of UK energy generation last year came from renewable sources, there is a long way to go to become an clean energy super power, and the initial budget to help us get there is relatively modest. It is also heavily reliant on the private sector stepping up and investing alongside the government, and there is some question over whether the government is stumping up enough to stimulate the further investment that is needed.”
Christopher Hammond, chief executive, UK100:
“The English Devolution Bill is a key piece of legislation to unlock Labour’s missions to kickstart sustainable economic growth, take back control in our communities and deliver lasting planning reform to deliver the homes so badly needed across the country. Not to overstate its importance, but the Bill represents a generational opportunity to unlock the connection between economic growth and local climate ambitions.
“However, while the signals are good, we’re concerned that The Bill doesn’t yet acknowledge that economic growth needs both devolution and climate action to be completely integrated. UK100, our network of local leaders and scores of local leaders recently elected to Parliament stand ready to work with Ministers to ensure that climate action is recognised as a key component of the new Devolution Bill. If done right, the Bill can be the foundation upon which a decade of renewal is built.”
Anthony Ainsworth, Chief Operating Officer, npower Business Solutions:
“The new government has been quick to put into action some of the key pledges from its election manifesto, particularly the Bill to set up Great British Energy and new legislation to accelerate the UK’s energy independence. These, alongside its ambitious planning reforms to enable key renewable energy infrastructure such as onshore wind, will form a vital part of its strategy to decarbonise the energy system and keep the UK on track for net zero by 2050.
“The government must also take into account the crucial role that businesses will play in this transition. We have said before that this government needs to be both pro-energy and pro-business – without business investment in key technologies, the net zero ambition will not happen.
Nigel Pocklington, chief executive, Good Energy:
“GB Energy, a national wealth fund and speeding up offshore wind are all good routes to progress on large scale renewable infrastructure.
“We must not forget that in energy, small can be big too — the UK’s rooftop solar has a greater total capacity than our largest power station. And Good Energy’s data has indicated that the power it exports to the grid has been underestimated.
“We have heard the Labour government wants to create a ‘rooftop revolution’. Let’s make sure people are part of the solution to the climate crisis by turning millions of homes into micro power stations.”
Alasdair Johnstone, Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) :
“There were two clear messages from the election. The first was a desire for change, but the second was an expectation of delivery. As polling showed, the public were more convinced by Labour’s offer on energy independence, building out more renewables rather than relying on declining domestic oil and gas production. Likewise Labour’s promise of economic renewal with green growth at its heart could build on the opportunities presented by the UK’s £74 billion net zero economy which grew 9% last year.
“But the public expect the new Government to deliver on its promises and business want to see a stable environment in which to invest. Legislation to reform the planning system and finance the new generation of renewable energy infrastructure could help in that delivery. However, there are still some outstanding questions, such as whether new standards for the private rented sector will extend to energy efficiency improvements.”
Ross Driver, Fund Manager, Foresight Solar Fund Limited:
“Labour has set out its ambitions to secure the country’s energy independence. Today’s speech from HRH King Charles marks the government’s clear intention to realise them through initiatives such as Great British Energy.
“Renewables – and solar specifically, as one the cheapest and most reliable power sources available – will be critical to achieving this and importantly, meet our climate targets – but economic headwinds and planning red tape have stifled investment and widespread growth in recent years.
“We’re heartened by the government’s clear refusal to allow planning concerns – which have plagued critical solar development with delays and refusals for far too long – to impede the construction of much-needed national infrastructure. Reforming and properly resourcing the planning system will also go a long way to bolster confidence in the delivery of these much-needed projects. However, this is not the only challenge the sector faces. We call on the new government to ensure a clear, stable and internationally competitive method for electricity pricing to provide certainty to the renewables market.
“The energy transition is one of the biggest investment themes of our generation and we urge the government to listen to the concerns of renewable infrastructure providers to create a supportive environment to accelerate public and private investment and see clean power realise its full potential – bringing both energy independence and cheaper bills.”
Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, Prospect:
“The last ten years of energy policy have been rich on rhetoric but disappointingly poor on delivery so it is good to see a government immediately getting to grips with the challenges we face.
“The announcement in the King’s Speech of a bill to establish Great British Energy is especially important as it signals to private investors that we as a country are ready to take quick decisive action and back that up with public funding.
“Union members will be delivering the infrastructure we need in the coming years so we have a huge stake in the success of this endeavour. We are also ideally placed to advise on and how best to make sure training, planning and investment translates into good jobs and supports communities across the country.”
Ana Musat, Executive Director of Policy RenewableUK:
“Today’s King’s Speech provides a range of welcome measures that are essential for accelerating the energy transition and generating economic growth. It is particularly welcome to see the announcement of a Planning and Infrastructure Bill, to ensure that essential infrastructure can be deployed without delay.
“Setting up Great British Energy to mobilise investment into renewables and support engagement with local communities will also play an important role in helping us meet our deployment targets. Ensuring this institution works well alongside the National Wealth Fund and other financial institutions will be essential to enable the private sector to mobilise the finance required to deliver the energy transition: in offshore wind alone, £100 billion of private investment will be needed to deliver Labour’s target of 60GW by 2030.
“We look forward to working with the Government to ensure the mandate of GB Energy accelerates deployment of key technologies, including onshore wind, floating offshore wind and long-duration energy storage, guided by an industrial strategy and a strong partnership between business and government.
Getting that framework right so that we can secure the maximum amount of private capital is essential to realise the Government’s ambition to transform the UK into a clean energy superpower”.
Sarah Honan, Head of Policy, ADE:
“The King’s speech has set the tone for the pace at which Labour intend to roll out policies in their first 100 days, and the decentralised energy sector is ready to take the brakes off with them.
“The mass acceleration of renewables is only possible if a smart and flexible optimised system is prioritised. Unlocking the potential of a demand-led system is the only way the UK can achieve true energy independence and security. Now is the time to use investment – through initiatives such as the National Wealth Fund – to deliver the green industrial revolution. This will ensure a prosperous future is secured for Britain, all whilst meeting legally binding net zero targets.”