Policy

Weekend press round-up: Japanese owners put SES Water up for sale

The Japanese owners of SES Water are reportedly putting the business up for sale due to their reluctance to inject fresh equity into the highly-geared company. Meanwhile, Grant Shapps, head of the newly-formed Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, discusses his plans to make British energy the cheapest in Europe. This and more in Utility Week’s latest round-up of the weekend’s papers.  

Solar target would swallow less land than UK’s airports

Meeting the government’s target for a fivefold increase in solar generation by 2035 would require less new land than that currently covered by the UK’s airports, according to backers of solar power. Solar Energy UK has presented figures MPs in a bid to counter concerns that valuable agricultural land will be swallowed up in order to meet increased solar generation.

Ofgem chief warns PPM ban could increase energy bills

Exorcising the ghosts of BEIS

‘Unethical’ to let PPM customers rack up debt

‘Energy suppliers need to stop hiding behind call centres’

‘Student loan’ scheme could boost investment case for EVs

Suppliers deliver £8.5bn in savings through ECO3

Government faces legal action over fuel poverty target

Suppliers lagging on non-domestic smart meter rollout

Sunak sets bills as new energy department’s year one focus

The new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will initially focus on cutting energy bills before moving onto longer term goals, including pan-government coordination of net zero, according to the new ministry’s mission statement.

Sunak scraps BEIS

Energy customers turning to gambling to pay bills

Courts ordered to stop processing PPM warrants

Radical reform could be a stabilising force for energy retail