Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of tidal turbine technology to produce energy at a cost-effective level.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Tidal stream is a novel technology and so initial costs are high. Cost reductions are required to deliver the potential benefits cost-effectively. In 2023 DESNZ published research on ‘Levelised Costs of Electricity from Tidal Stream Energy’. It suggested there is potential for significant cost reductions, subject to deployment. 94MW of new tidal stream power was procured in Contracts for Difference Allocation Rounds 4 and 5. This will increase the UK’s installed capacity tenfold.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of electricity grid miscalculations on housebuilding in England.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The calculation of electricity network capacity for new housing developments is a matter for housing developers and network companies. Guidance on network capacity requirements for housing developments has been published by the Independent Networks Association, whose members are responsible for the connection of around 80 percent of newbuild developments. Distribution Network Operators also offer online calculators for housebuilders to determine the network capacity they might require for their developments.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the amount of power that will be generated from wind and solar energy by (1) 2030, (2) 2040, and (3) 2050.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Two indicative Net Zero consistent scenarios for the GB power sector are published as Annex O of the Energy and Emissions Projections.[1] Renewable generation in these scenarios is:
Annual Generation (TWh) | 2030 | 2040 | 2050 |
Net Zero Lower | 282 | 427 | 483 |
Net Zero Higher | 307 | 494 | 591 |
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to local authorities to install solar panels on public buildings in their control.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is making available £2.5 billion over the financial years 2020/21 to 2024/25 to support public sector organisations including local authorities, schools and hospitals to install heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures - including solar panels - on public sector buildings. As of June 2023, the scheme has awarded grants worth over £2 billion to fund such projects.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the roll-out of ground source heat pumps in homes.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are putting in place a package of policies to drive the roll-out of ground- and air-source heat pumps, including targeted regulation, a new clean heat market-based mechanism and public funding measures, like the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide support to businesses that are off grid energy users.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 6 February, my Rt. Hon. Friend the then Minister for Climate and Energy announced further information on the Non-Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment Scheme (ND-AFP). Electricity suppliers can now start making payments to eligible off-grid energy users and they will deliver this support up to 10 March. Most customers are expected to receive a credit of £150 on bills later this month and will not need to apply.
A top-up payment in addition to the £150 will be available for large users of heating oil (kerosene) in GB and NI to take account of their higher usage. These top-up payments will require an application to a delivery body and will be banded based on level of usage. The Government will set out further details in the near future.