Ed Miliband has announced a new package of measures to more quickly secure the UK’s energy in response to unfurling conflicts in the Middle East
A new package of energy security measures has been announced for the UK.
Aside from ‘supermarket solar panels,’ measures have will be put in place to boost investment in renewable energy and the construction of nuclear power stations.
The renewables auction has been brought forward
The renewables auction is an annual event that encourages companies to invest in renewable energy technologies and infrastructure in the UK, with the previous round confirming enough clean energy to power 23m homes.
Measures are also being put in place to fully implement the findings of the Fingleton Review, speeding up the construction and subsequent operation of nuclear power stations.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “Global events demonstrate there’s not a moment to waste in our drive for clean power because there can be no energy security while we are so dependent on fossil fuels.
“So today I’m announcing a series of initiatives to speed up our clean power mission: bringing forward the next renewables auction just months after our most successful ever, announcing that plug in solar will be available for the first time in Britain and speeding up our warm homes plan.
“Everything we are doing is about one purpose: fighting the corner of the British people by taking back control of our energy.”
Understanding of net zero must change
Writing for PBC Today in February, David Woon, head of net zero engineering and operations at Ennovus Solutions, discusses why attitudes to net zero must change now that it is a part of the national policy.
David wrote: “The government’s recent announcement that it plans to create 400,000 new clean energy jobs by 2030 is an unmistakable signal of intent. It reinforces the message that the green transition is not a short-term policy trend but a long-term national priority. Yet this ambition comes at a time when the construction sector finds itself in a very different position.
“Employment has fallen to a 24-year low, while skills shortages, an ageing workforce and declining entry rates since Covid have left many firms struggling to meet existing demand, let alone the scale of infrastructure investment required for a low-carbon future.
“Taken together, these figures reveal two sectors at a crossroads. One is expanding rapidly, driven by the need to decarbonise energy systems. The other is contracting, despite holding many of the practical skills required to deliver that transition. Squaring this circle is one of the biggest challenges – and opportunities – facing UK industry.”
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