Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 08/08/23.
News: UK urged to abolish energy price cap in bid to boost competition and lower bills – City AM
8 August 2023, Nicholas Earl. The energy price cap should be abolished, as it is raising bills for customers and stifling competition in the market, according to a new report from the Centre for Policy Studies:
Link: https://www.cityam.com/abolish-the-price-cap-and-lower-bills-for-customers-says-new-report/
News: UK’s ‘broken’ energy system revealed as firms set to make £1.7bn in profit from customers – The Independent
8 August 2023, Adam Forrest. Campaigners attack ‘murky depths’ of market – as suppliers set to increase profits while families struggle:
Link: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/energy-bills-profits-british-gas-b2388968.html
Open consultation: Future System Operator: second policy consultation and project update – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
4 August 2023. Views sought on 2 new elements of our Future System Operator policy relating to resilience and security, and providing an update on FSO project status. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 20 October 2023:
News: Rosebank: MPs and peers urge Grant Shapps to block new oil field – BBC News Online
4 August 2023, Ione Wells. Grant Shapps is being urged in the “strongest possible terms” to block drilling at Rosebank – the UK’s largest undeveloped oil field:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66396048
News: Ofgem strives to improve consumer experiences across both the domestic and non-domestic sectors – Cornwall Insight
3 August 2023, Hattie Lunn. Over the last week, a number of anticipated publications were issued by Ofgem that hold the potential to make a significant change to the requirements on both domestic and non-domestic suppliers. The findings of Ofgem’s non-domestic market review were revealed, alongside a policy consultation on the options available to address the issues it discusses around consumer harms; and a second consultation focused on changes that can be made to improve customer service standards for domestic customers:
Press release: Energy Security boost with multi-million backing for renewables – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Cabinet Office, The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, The Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP, and The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP
3 August 2023. Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps announces £22 million uplift for flagship scheme:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/energy-security-boost-with-multi-million-backing-for-renewables
News: MPs set to back report calling for faster grid build-out – Energy Voice
2 August 2023. Renewables article:
Press release: Industry and government agree to seize the “immense opportunities ahead” as Britain builds a world-leading energy sector – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP
2 August 2023. Energy firms met with Secretary of State Grant Shapps during Energy Week to strengthen the UK’s plans for energy security and economic growth:
News: Rishi Sunak defends granting new North Sea oil and gas licences – BBC News Online
1 August 2023, Kevin Keane. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the decision to grant 100 new North Sea oil and gas licences. The UK government has also said it will support a carbon capture project in the north east of Scotland:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66354478
News: UK: ‘World-class’ study highlights CCUS potential for North Sea ‘super basin’ – Energy-pedia.com
31 July 2023. A research study led by the University of Aberdeen has identified areas of a North Sea gas ‘super basin’ with the greatest potential for storing industrial carbon emissions, a key aim of the energy transition:
Open consultation: Oil and gas fiscal regime review: call for evidence – HM Treasury
31 July 2023. A call for evidence on the long term oil and gas fiscal regime. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 11 September 2023:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/oil-and-gas-fiscal-regime-review-call-for-evidence
News: UK: North Sea gas is almost four times cleaner than imports -NSTA – Energy-pedia.com
31 July 2023. North Sea gas is significantly cleaner and supports the drive to net zero greenhouse gas emissions far more than imports, according to analysis published by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA):
News: Energy security: Rishi Sunak to meet leaders over energy security plans – BBC News Online
30 July 2023, Jemma Crew. The prime minister will emphasise the need to strengthen Britain’s energy security when he meets industry leaders. Rishi Sunak is to set out details of the government’s plans for the UK’s fossil fuel and green industries:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66350481
Collection: Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
27 July 2023. This series brings together all documents relating to the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES):
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes
Collection: UK energy in brief – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
27 July 2023. This series brings together all documents relating to UK energy in brief:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-energy-in-brief
News: Shell’s ‘obscene’ $5bn profits reignite outrage amid climate crisis – Guardian Online
27 July 2023, Jillian Ambrose. Campaigners criticise plan to increase oil and gas production despite extreme heat in Europe:
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jul/27/shell-profits-oil-gas-price-shareholders
Article: ‘Era of global boiling has arrived,’ says UN chief as July set to be hottest month on record – Guardian Online
27 July 2023, Ajit Niranjan. Head of World Meteorological Organization also warns ‘climate action is not a luxury but a must’ as temperatures soar:
Research and analysis: Functioning of the UK carbon market – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
27 July 2023. A high-level summary of the performance of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme during the first and second scheme years of its operation:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/functioning-of-the-uk-carbon-market
News: Price cap changes let British Gas profits balloon to near £1bn record – Evening Standard
27 July 2023, Jonathan Prynn. Profits at the UK’s biggest energy supplier British Gas ballooned to a record of almost £1 billion in the first half of the year at a time when millions of families were struggling to pay their bills:
News: Record British Gas profit after energy bill change – BBC News Online
27 July 2023, Tom Espiner. There has been an angry reaction to British Gas reporting record half-year profits as millions of households continue to struggle to pay their energy bills:
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66315117
News: UK: Drax given green light for new £500 million underground pumped storage hydro plant – Energy-pedia.com
25 July 2023. Renewable energy leader Drax Group has secured development consent from the Scottish Government for its ground-breaking plans to build a new c.£500m underground pumped storage hydro plant at its existing Cruachan facility in Argyll:
News: Greenpeace takes UK oil licensing round battle to High Court – Energy Voice
25 July 2023. Article by Energy Voice on Greenpeace taking UK oil licensing round battle to High Court:
Link: https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/520315/greenpeace-uk-licensing-round-high-court/
Article: New North Sea oil and gasfields will emit as much carbon as 14m cars, report says – Guardian Online
24 July 2023, Fiona Harvey. Licences UK has approved in last two years will result in carbon dioxide matching annual emissions of Denmark, Greenpeace finds:
Press release: New steps to speed up construction work at Sizewell C – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Great British Nuclear, The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, and Andrew Bowie MP
24 July 2023. £170 million investment for Sizewell C comes days after launch of Great British Nuclear:
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-steps-to-speed-up-construction-work-at-sizewell-c
News: Campaigners call for social tariff to protect vulnerable energy users this winter – Current News
21 July 2023, John Lubbock. Trade association Energy UK, Citizens Advice, National Energy Action, MoneySavingExpert and Fair By Design have called on the government to publish their consultation on how to target support to vulnerable energy users this winter: