Asked by: Josh MacAlister (Labour - Whitehaven and Workington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to publish its conclusions on the recommended (a) scales and (b) durations of Community Benefit Fund payments for (i) solar farms and (ii) associated Battery Energy Storage System developments.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The working paper intends to gather insight on proposals for mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, including the types of energy infrastructure that could be captured, an appropriate level of benefit, and how best this could be calculated. The responses to the working paper will inform next steps on approach and policy design, and the government expects to publish a full response in due course.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Contracts for Difference liabilities if wholesale electricity prices remain elevated on levels of fiscal risk.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Scaling up homegrown renewables reduces the UK’s exposure to volatile global fossil fuel prices, which protects consumer energy bills against future price shocks. The CfD two-way payment mechanism protects consumers when electricity prices are high, as if the reference price is above the strike price, the generator must pay back the difference.
During the energy bill crisis over Winter 22/23, when wholesale electricity prices were higher, the CfD scheme reduced the amount needed to deliver our energy bill support schemes by around £18 per typical household. [1]
[1] This estimate is based on DESNZ analysis of the 2022/23 Ofgem price cap and wholesale cost allowance methodology for Q4 2022 and Q1 2023.
Asked by: Gregor Poynton (Labour - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the Association for Decentralised Energy entitled Consumer-Led Clean Power: How to Unlock Consumer-Led Flexibility for Clean Power 2030, published on 17 June 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This Government supports significant growth in consumer-led flexibility, as set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. We are grateful to the Association for Decentralised Energy for its work in this area. In our Action Plan, Government committed to publishing a Flexibility Roadmap in 2025. The Roadmap will set out further detail on how the benefits of clean flexibility will be unlocked for the consumer, following the assessment of relevant evidence.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support and (b) develop tidal power technology within the British Channel Islands.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
According to a study led by the University of Plymouth, the UK and the British Channel Islands has one of the world’s best tidal resources, estimated to be a potential capacity of around 11.5GW.
The Channel Islands, as Crown Dependencies, are self-governing jurisdictions that are not part of the UK, and so the UK Government is not responsible for energy policy there. DESNZ engages with the CDs on energy matters, including renewable energy policy, under the British-Irish Council Energy Work sector.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the report Clean Power 2030 Annex 2: Networks, connections and network access analysis, published by the National Energy System Operator on 5 November 2024, whether they plan to build an additional 600 miles of overhead cabling and pylons; and if so, whether they will publish a map detailing where those will be built.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for the strategic planning and design of the GB electricity system. NESO’s November 2024 advice on the upgrades and new projects required on the GB high voltage network to deliver clean power 2030 was reflected in the Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. A map showing these projects and some required beyond 2030 is available online at https://www.neso.energy/publications/beyond-2030/web-map
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to for hydrogen-related funding in (a) Bradford East constituency and (b) West Yorkshire, in the context of his Department's Net Zero Strategy.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government is committed to supporting the growth of the hydrogen economy through its Hydrogen Allocation Rounds (HARs). In the first hydrogen allocation round (HAR1), announced in December 2023, 11 projects were selected to receive over £2 billion in revenue support for green hydrogen production. Additionally, £90 million in capital grant funding was awarded, with the potential to create up to 760 new jobs.
This includes Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen, located in Bradford city centre, which will produce hydrogen for diggers and buses. Published subsidy award details for this project include a Direct Grant of £13 million and £396 million under the Hydrogen Production Business Model. The exact amount of funding will depend on the hydrogen produced at the site over a 15 year period.