Policy

Public backs infrastructure splurge but regulation ‘out of step’

People understand the benefits of investment in infrastructure in terms of creating jobs and enabling decarbonisation but government and regulators must have a common message. This is the view of Lawrence Slade, chief executive of the Global Infrastructure Investors Association, who spoke to Utility Week on the back of its poll on public attitudes towards infrastructure and investment.

Labour backs annual CfD auctions

Labour has proposed at least £30 billion of investment in low-carbon sectors in the next 18 months. The party criticised regulatory barriers holding back investment in offshore wind and insisted Contracts for Difference auctions should be held every year to speed up and smooth out the delivery of projects.

COP could unlock special relationship with Biden’s US

Utility Week’s policy correspondent David Blackman asks whether Joe Biden’s presidency makes the COP26 climate conference even more of a priority for Boris Johnson.

Sector to be kept in dark about ETS replacement until new year

Energy companies may not know until next year how the UK’s new post-Brexit carbon pricing regime will work, the energy minister has admitted.

Funding the UK’s offshore wind ambitions

Weekend press round-up: What’s in Johnson’s 10-point green plan?

In our latest review of sector coverage across the national newspapers, there is speculation about the contents of this week’s update on the prime minister’s vision for a “green industrial revolution”. There is also analysis of what a Joe Biden presidency will mean for net zero, whether the UK is really investing enough in tackling climate change and National Grid’s recent supply margin warnings.

Flat green gas levy would set ‘risky precedent’

Calls for greater clarity on CSO discharges

A series of unfortunate events

Kwarteng says argument for offshore grid ‘has been won’

Government urged to bring forward heat network protections

Fuel Poverty Action is urging the government to bring forward planned consumer protections for the customers of heat networks this winter. In a letter to energy minister Kwasi Kwarteng the charity urges the government to bring forward arrangements for compensation when district heating breaks down and to upgrade networks which repeatedly fail, on an emergency basis.

CfD rule change may have ‘significant unintended consequences’

UK needs clear strategy to take lead on hydrogen

UK ‘needs 20GW more offshore wind by 2025’

The government must guarantee a contracted additional 20GW of offshore wind over the next four years, according to a broad-based coalition of charities. The Climate Coalition has set out a ten-point plan ahead of Boris Johnson’s update on his green industrial revolution plan, which is expected next week

CBI: Spending review can kickstart ‘moon-shoot’ net-zero mission

The CBI has urged Rishi Sunak to create new market subsidy regimes to spur the UK’s fledgling CCUS and hydrogen industries. In its submission to the Treasury’s spending review, the employers’ body has included a raft of measures to spur economic growth that also delivers the UK’s net-zero goals