Only three of Energy Security Strategy’s 10 commitments have been met

Silhouette of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in London in sunset

Out of 10 key commitments made by the government in its British Energy Security Strategy (BESS), only three have been fulfilled two years on from its publication.

That is according to a new analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), which warns that the UK is “going backwards” on energy security.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson unveiled the BESS in April 2022 as the centrepiece of the government’s response to the energy security concerns prompted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The BESS contained 10 major commitments to boost the UK’s energy security.

However, according to the new analysis from only three of these commitments have been achieved.

It says the commitment to create the Future System Operator (FSO) and appoint an Electricity Networks Commissioner has been fulfilled with the government accepting all of Nick Winser’s recommendations to improve grid planning.

The ECIU says the government’s commitments on hydrogen have been fulfilled, including the go ahead for blending into the gas grid. However it warns that meeting commitments on blue hydrogen will not boost the UK’s energy security because it relies on gas imports.

And the report says that the BESS commitment to award more North Sea oil and gas licensing rounds has been met but will not necessarily help the UK’s energy independence due to the internationally traded nature of the markets for these commodities.

According to the ECIU’s analysis, there has been progress on the commitment in the BESS to reduce transmission network infrastructure waits by three years but they are still long.

It also says there has been partial progress on onshore renewables with the government fulfilling its commitment in the BESS to review the planning regime for onshore wind in England and increased roll out of solar farms.

However, no onshore wind applications have been submitted since these planning changes because developers say that the reforms have not gone far enough, according to the ECIU.

The commitments on heat have also been partly achieved, the analysis says. While the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has been extended and its grant levels increased, the government has recently pushed back the introduction of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism, which sets boiler manufacturers targets for selling heat pumps.

And the ECIU says the government’s commitment to insulate 450,000 homes by 2026 through the ECO 4 scheme is not on track.

At the midway point of the supplier delivered energy efficiency scheme, which is due to run from 2022 to 2026, just 115,000 homes have been insulated.

According to the analysis, the BESS commitment to rebalancing costs on electricity bills by shifting levies onto gas or the taxpayer has also not been met.

And while the government has met the BESS commitment to run annual Contracts for Difference auctions, the analysis says only two new offshore wind farms have been secured since 2022, including none at the last such exercise in 2023.

Jess Ralston, energy analyst at the ECIU, said: “The UK has had two energy security strategies within two years and we’re still going backwards, becoming more dependent on foreign imports.

“The PM’s U-turning on insulation standards and heat pumps is leaving the UK less energy independent.]

“The government has extended and increased the heat pump grant and sales are picking up, but its delaying other heat pump policy under intense lobbying from gas boiler manufacturers means we’re still lagging far behind other countries including the US and many in Europe. Heat pumps are one of the UK’s best weapons in the fight for energy independence.”