Answer - not much.
Lets remember how we got to the much trailed UK Government ‘Green Day’ today – The flagship ‘Net-Zero Strategy’ failed to put in place the plans which would actually deliver net zero by 2050, which caused the High Court to order that the UK Government revise its proposals within 9 months from July 2022. So here we are today – a forced new announcement of stuff.
So today we got a slew of announcements, including:
Updated Energy Security Plan
Response to Planning National Policy Statement review
Annual statement of emissions under section 16 of the Climate Change Act
2023 Green Energy Strategy
Response to the Chris Skidmore Net Zero review
First annual CFD allocation round opened
All sounds like a lot – but in truth, there is not that much new here. The real ‘so what’ headlines are:
Promises to re-balance gas and electricity prices in households – no details on how
Boiler upgrade scheme extended to 2028 - £5k grant to buy a heat pump
‘Great British Insulation Scheme’ – previously announced £1bn to insulate 300k homes to March 2026 (a drop in the ocean at £3k per household for less that 4% of our housing stock in England and Wales)
Projects which will progress for CCUS ‘clusters’
Launch of ‘Great British Nuclear’ (already announced in the spring statement)
Awards under the existing £240m ‘Net Zero Hydrogen Fund’ (existing fund)
Launch of a new £30m heat pump accelerator to boost UK supply chain (new money)
Launch of the £381m ‘LEVI’ find to support local authorities deliver on street EV charging. This seems to include the existing £56m that was announced in Feb this year
Most in industry were hoping for a more fundamental review of our Net Zero and energy security plans – with clear plans on energy use reduction, massive insulation drive and a clear plan on heating.
What we have includes some new things – but is made up mostly of existing schemes.
Most worryingly is the massive amounts being spent on Hydrogen for heating (£240m) and Carbon Capture and Storage (£20bn) which a lot of scientists, engineers and climate groups see as an expensive diversion away from what we really need to be doing.
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