Industry News Roundup January 2017
Tuesday 31/01 – The Scottish government opens a consultation on the future of unconventional oil and gas extraction, including fracking. The European Scrutiny select committee says the government will need to keep Parliament fully informed of its negotiations with the EU regarding the new Clean Energy Package. National Grid issues final transmission network use of system tariffs effective from 1 April.
Monday 30/01 – The government confirms that the Energy Company Obligation scheme will be extended through to September 2018––six months longer than had earlier been planned. A paper by the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies says the outcome of the UK-EU negotiations on the UK interconnectors to Europe will play a decisive role in how Brexit impacts on the gas markets. Cornwall Council sets ambitious energy targets for 2030, including meeting 100% of the county’s electricity demand from renewable and low-carbon sources.
Friday 27/01 – It is confirmed that, as part of Brexit, the UK will leave Euratom, the pan-European atomic energy regulator. The environmental audit select committee writes to prime minister Theresa May calling on her to press for President Donald Trump to reverse his opposition to the Paris climate accord. The SNP says the UK government must deliver a Sector Deal for the North Sea that can address barriers to expansion and boost competitiveness.
Thursday 26/01 – Government figures show the UK’s fossil fuel dependency fell to 78.7% in the third quarter of 2016, a record low level. The European Commission launches its circular economy package, including guidance to Member States on how to ensure properly balanced waste-to-energy capacity. The Lords science and technology committee launches an inquiry into the priorities for nuclear research and technologies.
Wednesday 25/01 – The government announces that £28mn will be invested in innovation funding for smart systems, industrial energy reduction and offshore wind. BP forecasts that renewables will account for almost 20% of global power generation by 2035. National Grid says that the environment for developing interconnectors “remains good” despite Brexit.
Tuesday 24/01 – The Scottish government sets a target of delivering the equivalent of 50% of the nation’s heat, transport and electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030. Cornwall research predicts that the upcoming Capacity Market auction-the government’s policy mechanism to deliver energy security-could mark the beginning of a trend towards higher clearing prices at the year ahead stage. The European Investment Bank confirms that it provided over £1bn in support for the UK’s renewables industry in 2016.
Monday 23/01 – As part of its draft industrial strategy, the government says it will explore how to cut business energy prices. A study, commissioned by the Offshore Wind Programme Board, confirms that in 2015-16 the cost of generating electricity from GB offshore windfarms had dropped to £97/MWh. Ofgem says British Gas Business is to pay out £9.5mn after customer service failures following the introduction of a new IT system in 2014. Business group the CBI says that moving towards a flexible energy system will help in meeting energy and climate change objectives, but a long-term plan is necessary.
Friday 20/01 - EON UK has delivered the best performance in Citizens Advice’s first complaints league table for small business energy suppliers The National Audit Office finds that a government programme to support the development of carbon capture and storage was undermined by uncertainty on long-term funding requirements. Energy major Centrica says that after Brexit the UK should prioritise continued participation in European energy schemes.
Thursday 19/01 - Energy regulator Ofgem publishes its strategy for more reliable and faster switching. The Scottish government publishes plans to deliver a 66% reduction in emissions by 2032. Northern Powergrid, Moixa and Energise Barnsley collaborate in a trial to demonstrate how clusters of home batteries can increase capacity on the electricity network.
Wednesday 18/01 - Energy UK finds that more of the Big Six suppliers are achieving the highest standard for undertaking debt collection. SmartestEnergy launches a certified 100% electricity offering for businesses, claimed to be the first in the country.
Tuesday 17/01 - MPs on the environmental audit select committee call for government ministers to appear before it to answer questions on the sale of the Green Investment Bank. The Renewable Energy Association says the UK must take advantage of the “huge industrial opportunity” for trade and growth offered by the low-carbon transition in the wake of Brexit.
Monday 16/01 - SNP energy spokesperson Callum McCaig criticises the UK government for failing to back the renewables industry. The Energy and Utilities Alliance calls for the Energy Company Obligation to be redirected to fund connections to the gas network. The Energy Technologies Institute says that developers of wave energy projects will need to reconsider their approaches to extraction and conversion to drastically reduce costs.
Friday 13/01 - The UK’s green economy grew by 18.7% between 2010 and 2014 to be worth £29bn, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. The UK Green Building Council proposes a key leadership role for cities and local authorities in supporting the delivery of sustainable new homes and communities.
Thursday 12/01 - The government-commissioned Hendry Review finds that tidal lagoons can play a cost-effective role in the UK’s energy mix. The government publishes plans for the role of the electricity system operator to be split off into a new, legally-separate company within National Grid. Jesse Norman confirms that he has taken on the full energy brief at BEIS, following Baroness Neville-Rolfe’s move to the Treasury. Unilever—a major producer of food and drink—announces that it has signed an agreement that will see five of its sites use biomethane to power heating, significantly reducing carbon emissions from the sites.
Wednesday 11/01 - Government ministers reject concerns that the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank could see it abandon its objective of investing in low-carbon projects. Market intelligence firm ICIS reports that UK wholesale energy market prices continued to rise in the fourth quarter of 2016 over concerns about gas storage levels and tighter power margins.
Tuesday 10/01 - Climate change minister Nick Hurd tells a committee of MPs that ignoring the potential benefits of shale gas development would be irresponsible to future generations and could drive up costs. Broker Make It Cheaper calls on energy regulator Ofgem to force energy suppliers to take steps that will ease the switching process for business consumers. China General Nuclear’s UK HPR1000 reactor is submitted to the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency for an assessment of its operational safety.
Monday 09/01 - A report from the Scottish Greens finds that the costs involved in the low-carbon transition could be reduced if more control over energy policy were devolved to the Scottish government. Analysts Wood Mackenzie predict that the costs of decommissioning infrastructure in the North Sea oil and gas industry could reach £24bn. Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuiness announces his resignation as Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, in protest against the handling of a support scheme for renewable heat for businesses.
Friday 06/01 - TerraForm Power sells 365MW of solar capacity to Venture Solar in a deal worth around £470mn. Vattenfall confirms that it is developing a proposal to extend its 300MW Thanet offshore windfarm. Cuadrilla confirms that it has begun work at its Preston New Road shale gas site. Snowdonia Pumped Hydro’s 99.9MW Glyn Rhonwy scheme receives the necessary environmental permits from Natural Resources Wales. Carbon Brief analysis shows the UK generated more electricity from wind turbines than from burning coal for the first time last year.
Thursday 05/01 - Comparison site uSwitch finds that standard variable tariff customers are collectively paying £3.6bn more than they would if they switched to the market’s best deal. The Labour Party launches a consultation with businesses, trade unions, the third sector, and the public about the priorities, interventions, and processes that will shape the UK’s industrial strategy. Construction is to commence on the 5MW Chapel Farm solar park in Swindon after a second successful bond offer from both the local council and Abundance Investment.
Wednesday 04/01 - The Federation of Small Businesses cautions that the UK’s approach to delivering the low-carbon transition lacks transparency and clear direction. The Department for International Trade celebrates the UK securing £16bn of foreign investment since the department’s inception, including a multi-national renewable energy venture led by DONG Energy.
Tuesday 03/01 - The Green Alliance finds that investment in the UK’s renewables infrastructure is facing a “cliff edge” that could jeopardise long-term emissions reduction. The GMB union says the government must be completely transparent about the costs associated with decarbonisation, and that green policies might better be funded through general taxation. The UK government says that it will not launch an inquiry into Northern Ireland’s Renewable Heat Incentive—which has drawn criticism for overspending on its budget.
Monday 02/01 - Trade association RenewableUK announces that new half-hourly, daily and weekly records for wind generation were set during the 2016 Christmas week. Documents obtained by environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth suggest that fracking firm Ineos is to conduct seismic surveys in Sherwood Forest.
Written By Graham Paul
