Regen responds to the first reading of the Energy Security Bill in Parliament. Do the measures stack up?
Responding to the first reading of the Energy Security Bill, Merlin Hyman, chief executive of Regen, commented:
“The Energy Security Bill being laid in Parliament today provides an unrivalled opportunity to lock in a secure and homegrown clean energy future that can shield consumers from high energy bills driven by volatile fossil gas prices. The Bill includes an important package of measures with positive steps towards decarbonising the power sector, including the creation of a Future System Operator. However, there are key gaps to fill, most crucially ensuring that net zero is at the heart of the remit of the energy regulator.
We will be pushing for amendments that strengthen the Bill’s focus on shifting away from fossil fuels towards clean energy. In particular, a transformation of this scale will require the action and engagement of local authorities and communities. Regen has today published a framework with practical steps that national government should take to empower local actors in decarbonising how we heat our homes.”
Rachel Hayes, director of the Electricity Storage Network, commented:
“We welcome the announcement today that the government will use the Energy Security Bill to define electricity storage and licencing requirements in law, adopting the definition drafted by the Electricity Storage Network. This will provide greater clarity and certainty for investors on how storage is regulated and the costs projects pay for connecting to and using the electricity network.
The government has chosen to define storage as a sub-set of electricity generation, rather than creating a new dedicated licencing regime that recognises storage is not a form of generation but a distinct activity. Many in the electricity storage sector would, therefore, like today’s announcement to be a stepping-stone towards a dedicated licence for storing electricity.”
Fraser Stewart, just transition lead at Regen, commented:
“The government’s Energy Security Bill, like the Energy Security Strategy, fails to deliver the necessary measures on energy efficiency as the quickest way to reduce energy demand, increase energy security and bring down costs for those in crisis, especially fuel poor households. The measures announced will also do little to support people worried about a looming £3,000 price cap that now dwarfs the support government previously offered.”