24/07/23 – Useful Links

Interesting links, articles, news and blog posts sent out to members on 24/07/23.

Open consultation: Towards a more innovative energy retail market: a call for evidence – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

24 July 2023. This call for evidence considers barriers to innovation in the energy retail market. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 18 September 2023:

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/towards-a-more-innovative-energy-retail-market-a-call-for-evidence

Policy paper: Delivering a better energy retail market – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

24 July 2023. Government’s vision for the future energy retail market and a package of targeted reforms:

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-a-better-energy-retail-market

News: Energy giants set for scrutiny as latest results come amid cost of living crisis – City AM

23 July 2023, Nicholas Earl. Energy giants will be under fresh scrutiny this week, as the world’s largest oil and gas producers announce their latest round of results:

Link: https://www.cityam.com/energy-giants-set-for-scrutiny-as-latest-results-come-amid-cost-of-living-crisis/

News: G20 countries fail to reach agreement on cutting fossil fuels – Guardian Online

22 July 2023. Fossil fuel-producing members dispute goal of tripling renewable capacity by 2030:

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/22/g20-countries-fail-to-reach-agreement-on-cutting-fossil-fuels

News: What does the scrapping of a wind farm plan mean for UK renewable energy? – BBC News Online

22 July 2023, Andrew Sinclair & Katy Lewis. Work has stopped on one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms after its developer said it no longer made financial sense to continue:

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-66267860

News: Climate records tumble, leaving Earth in uncharted territory – scientists – BBC News Online

22 July 2023, Georgina Rannard, Erwan Rivault, Jana Tauschinski. A series of climate records on temperature, ocean heat, and Antarctic sea ice have alarmed some scientists who say their speed and timing is unprecedented:

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66229065

News: Higher prices for UK’s offshore wind can’t be avoided – Guardian Online

20 July 2023, Nils Pratley. Inflationary pressures on supply chains mean we must pay more, via our energy bills, for new windfarms:

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2023/jul/20/higher-prices-for-uks-offshore-wind-cant-be-avoided

News: World will miss 1.5C warming limit and is ‘very pessimistic’ about 2C – top UK expert – BBC News Online

21 July 2023, Esme Stallard & Justin Rowlatt. Professor Sir Bob Watson, former head of the UN climate body, told the BBC’s Today programme he was “pessimistic”. His warning comes amidst a summer of extreme heat for Europe, China and the US:

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66256101

News: Senior Tories back move to end onshore wind ban – BBC News Online

20 July 2023, Becky Morton. Ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss is among more than 20 Conservative MPs backing an attempt to overturn the de-facto ban on new onshore wind farms in England:

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66245330

Open consultation – Enabling industrial electrification: a call for evidence – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

19 July 2023. Call for evidence on how to enable industry to switch away from fossil fuels to electricity. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 20 October 2023:

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/enabling-industrial-electrification-a-call-for-evidence

News: New UK energy supplier launched offering “cheapest electricity tariff” – Energy Live News

19 July 2023, Dimitris Mavrokefalidis. Fuse Energy, co-founded by ex-Revolut executives, enjoys backing from former Formula One driver Nico Rosberg and guidance from a former Ofgem boss:

Link: https://www.energylivenews.com/2023/07/19/new-uk-energy-supplier-launched-offering-cheapest-electricity-tariff/

News: Liz Truss backs fresh attempt by Tory rebels to end onshore wind ban – The Independent

19 July 2023, Christopher McKeon. Tory MPs including former prime minister Liz Truss are set to launch another attempt to overturn the de facto ban on onshore wind farms after the summer recess:

Link: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/alok-sharma-liz-truss-government-commons-jake-berry-b2377768.html

News: White paper outlines the benefits of deploying geothermal energy in the UK – Innovation News Network

18 July 2023. A newly published white paper has provided evidence for the deployment and development of deep geothermal energy projects in the UK:

Link: https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/white-paper-outlines-the-benefits-of-deploying-geothermal-energy-in-the-uk/34994/

Research briefing: Planning and solar farms – House of Commons Library

18 July 2023. A Westminster Hall debate on planning and solar farms has been scheduled for Wednesday 19 July 2023. The debate will be opened by Dr Caroline Johnson MP:

Link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0168/

News: Government launches SMR competition to revive nuclear’s role in UK energy mix – City AM

18 July 2023, Nicholas Earl. Government ambitions to boost nuclear’s flagging role in the country’s energy mix will be supported with the launch of a new industry vehicle today for approving new sites and projects:

Link: https://www.cityam.com/government-launches-smr-competition-to-revive-nuclears-role-in-uk-energy-mix/

Corporate report: National Grid ESO Electricity capacity report 2023: findings of the Panel of Technical Experts – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

18 July 2023. Report by the independent Panel of Technical Experts providing advice on the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) Electricity Capacity Report for delivery years 2024 to 2025, and 2027 to 2028:

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-grid-eso-electricity-capacity-report-2023-findings-of-the-panel-of-technical-experts

Correspondence: Capacity Market auction parameters: letter from DESNZ to National Grid ESO, July 2023 – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

18 July 2023. Letter setting out the Capacity Market auction parameters for the T-1 auction for 2024 to 2025 delivery year, and the T-4 auction for 2027 to 2028 delivery year:

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capacity-market-auction-parameters-letter-from-desnz-to-national-grid-eso-july-2023

News: Great British Nuclear: Government unveils competition to fund small reactors – Edie.net

18 July 2023, Sarah George. More than £150m of grant funding has been announced for innovators in the UK’s nuclear power sector, who are now being encouraged to bid for new grants under Great British Nuclear’s first competition:

Link: https://www.edie.net/great-british-nuclear-government-unveils-competition-to-fund-small-reactors/

News: Leaked UK government plan to protect against climate heat ‘very weak’ – Guardian Online

17 July 2023, Damian Carrington. Exclusive: Document ‘falls far short’ of what is needed to safeguard lives and livelihoods from heat, drought and storms, say experts:

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/17/new-uk-government-plan-to-protect-against-climate-heat-very-weak

News: New roadmap sets path to £90bn potential for UK offshore energy supply chain – Energy-pedia News

17 July 2023. Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), together with Robert Gordon’s University (RGU), has produced a roadmap, titled Harnessing the Potential, that outlines how the UK can support jobs, economic growth, and innovation well into the future:

Link: https://www.energy-pedia.com/news/united-kingdom/new-roadmap-sets-path-to-%c2%a390bn-potential-for-uk-offshore-energy-supply-chain—oeuk-192150

News: Trade bodies urge ‘accelerated’ investment in hydro storage – Energy Voice

14 July 2023, Andrew Dykes. Renewables trade bodies have written to the Prime Minister calling on the government to “urgently” support the deployment of long-duration electricity storage such as pumped hydro:

Link: https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables-energy-transition/518884/trade-bodies-urge-accelerated-investment-in-hydro-storage/

Research and analysis: Industrial carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS): UK supply chain capabilities – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

14 July 2023. Assessment of the current and future capabilities of the UK’s industrial CCUS supply chain:

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-carbon-capture-usage-and-storage-ccus-uk-supply-chain-capabilities

News: COP28: Admit your failures, climate summit host Al Jaber tells nations – BBC News Online

13 July 2023, Georgina Rannard. Governments must face up to their failures to tackle climate change at the next UN climate summit, the president of COP28 has told governments:

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66191627

News: Residents call for vote after hydrogen village trial scrapped – Energy Voice

12 July 2023. Residents of a Yorkshire town have called for an independent vote on hydrogen heating trials after proposals for the alternative location were called off:

Link: https://www.energyvoice.com/renewables-energy-transition/hydrogen/518212/hydrogen-village-trial-vote/

News: Carbon tax on luxury items is a fairer and more effective way to cut emissions, research reveals – Euronews. green

12 July 2023, Ally Wybrew. Researchers found that applying a carbon tax on luxury goods would be a “fairer” way to reduce emissions:

Link: https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/07/12/carbon-tax-on-luxury-items-is-a-fairer-and-more-effective-way-to-cut-emissions-research-re

Research and analysis: Opportunities for economic growth in the UK’s CCUS industry – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

12 July 2023. UK carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) supply chain capabilities and high value opportunities assessment:

Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opportunities-for-economic-growth-in-the-uks-ccus-industry

Report: Enabling locally led retrofit: Reforms to scale up effective delivery – E3G

11 July 2023, James Dyson. There is an intrinsically local dimension to decarbonising our homes and buildings, which makes local authorities critical to delivery. However, the schemes need reform to maximise their potential:

Link: https://www.e3g.org/publications/enabling-locally-led-retrofit/

News: National Grid: UK not preparing to scale CCS or low-carbon heat quickly enough – Edie.net

10 July 2023, Sarah George. The National Grid’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) has stated that the UK could reach net-zero by 2046 – but only if it dramatically speeds up the rollout of low-carbon technologies and carbon capture:

Link: https://www.edie.net/national-grid-uk-not-preparing-to-scale-ccs-or-low-carbon-heat-quickly-enough/