The UK Government plans to introduce an Energy Independence Bill to “scale-up homegrown renewable energy and protect living standards for the long-term”.
The Bill, outlined in The King’s Speech, will be introduced as the government “believe that energy independence must be a long-term goal of national security and that the nation’s energy security requires long-term investment and reform, as demonstrated by recent events in the Middle East”.
In a separate statement, the UK Government said that “The Energy Independence Bill […] will give government more power to tackle the affordability crisis and speed up the delivery of clean energy technologies and vital grid infrastructure.”
According to a briefing document on the Bill, it will provide a framework for supporting a commitment to transition the UK energy market away from fossil fuels towards alternative forms of energy, including nuclear and renewables.
Ministers have also said they would introduce measures to support energy consumers, including reforms to the remit and powers of the energy regulator, Ofgem.
As an example, the Bill is expected to include measures to expand the remit of Ofgem to become the regulator of third-party intermediaries in the energy market, such as energy brokers, it claimed.
In addition, the Bill will ban new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, which was a Labour manifesto commitment.
Flexibility will also play a role, with proposals to allow consumers to get cheaper energy during times of abundance in the supply.
As a result of the Bill, the UK Government also said that increased production of clean British energy would “help to ensure that enemies of the United Kingdom cannot attack the economic security of the British people”.
In addition on energy, the UK Government said in The King’s Speech that it would take forward recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Review.
Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said:
“The Government is sticking with clean power as its solution to two energy crises in a matter of years, in line with the International Energy Agency’s recommendations and the British public who see investing in renewables as the solution to less dependence on Trump and the Middle East as North Sea oil and gas output continues its inevitable decline.
“Households are increasingly voting with their feet as installations of net zero technologies like solar, EVs and heat pumps have taken off in response to higher prices. Increasingly this surge towards electrifying homes will be powered by clean British renewables.
“There are now even clearer divides between political parties on the UK’s energy future, with the Government bringing in a ban on fracking compared to Reform which aligns more with Trump on wanting to frack across Lancashire and Lincolnshire. This puts them at odds with the British public for whom fracking is one of the most unpopular energy sources and even Reform-led local councils that are less than keen given voter opposition.”
Sachin Vibhute, Technical Consultant at LG, said about the Bill:
“The scaling of renewable energy is moving from a far-off ambition to a national priority.
“Continued government support for ‘homegrown’ energy sources was evident. The introduction of the Energy Independence Bill, signals real intent to accelerate the transition to low-carbon homes and greater energy independence.
“However, the sector remains hindered by an acute shortage of skilled workers. The UK urgently needs more specialised training and upskilling, to meet the rising demand for green technologies like heat pumps and solar installations.
“Government, manufacturers, and industry must collaborate to drive Britain’s green energy agenda forward, and to ensure it has the capacity needed to meet demand and deliver long-term cleaner energy resilience.”
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