Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs of delivering energy storage solutions in the event of renewable energy shortfalls.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government considers the costs and benefits of energy storage through its wider assessment of future energy system requirements. NESO is assessing the relative costs of delivering different generation, network and storage technology types as part of its Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) analysis. The Government has now received NESO’s SSEP Pathway Options Report, which we are carefully considering. Electricity storage projects are delivered through private investment and participation in energy markets.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impact on rural and coastal areas of energy storage solutions in the event of renewable energy shortfalls.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the environmental impact on rural and coastal areas of energy storage solutions in the event of renewable energy shortfalls. Individual energy storage projects are subject to relevant planning and environmental assessment requirements, with potential impacts considered on a site-specific basis by the appropriate decision-making authority in line with relevant planning policy and environmental legislation.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the minimum safe permitted distance between residential and office buildings and (1) high voltage transmission wires, and (2) electrical equipment such as battery energy storage units.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government does not prescribe a minimum separation between occupied buildings, such as homes and offices, and electricity transmission lines or battery energy storage units. However, for battery energy storage units Planning Practice Guidance advises applicants and planning authorities to consider National Fire Chiefs Council guidance, which recommends an initial 30-metre distance before mitigations are considered. For electricity transmission lines appropriate separation distances are determined on a case-by-case basis through compliance with applicable safety requirements, relevant planning and consenting considerations, and site-specific assessments.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they follow internationally recognised safety standards in the siting of high voltage transmission lines.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Transmission operators (TOs) plan their projects in line with the Security and Quality of Supply Standard, which sets criteria for the safe operation of the National Electricity Transmission System. TOs also have regard to the Electricity Transmission Design Principles which includes principles for safe siting.
Siting must comply with Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002, which sets requirements such as the height, position and insulation of overhead lines. British Standards for overhead line design are based on IEC/EN international standards.
TOs must also comply with International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines on exposure to electric and magnetic fields.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of their clean energy plans with protection of nature and the environment, in light of their reported (1) environmental impacts, and (2) flammability and combustibility risks.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes that the accelerated rollout of clean energy generation is compatible with protection of the natural environment.
All energy proposals are subject to a rigorous planning process, in which the views and interests of local communities are considered. This includes any impact on biodiversity, the environment, and fire risk.
Project developers typically must complete an Environmental Statement (ES) as part of any application. The ES requires developers to consider all potential impacts throughout a project’s life from pre-development to construction, operation, and decommissioning.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they continue to plan to ban onshore fracking in the UK.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Energy Independence Bill was included in the Kings’ Speech on 13 May.
The Bill will contain measures which will deliver our manifesto commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields, including new licences that could be used for fracking for shale gas in England.
There is an effective moratorium on fracking for shale gas (“associated hydraulic fracturing” as defined by the Petroleum Act 1998) in England, which will continue to apply to existing licences. Similar restrictions are in place across other parts of the UK.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what level of support is available for energy costs under the cost of living provisions and additional support under the warm homes discount; whether that support totals £300; and if not, whether they will correct the figure on the Gov.uk website.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
We announced in the Autumn Budget that we would cut the cost of living, and as a result, the price cap fell by 7% / £117 to £1,641 per year for an average dual fuel customer paying by Direct Debit.
This action follows the decision to expand the Warm Home Discount this winter, which will see around six million households receive an additional £150 off their energy bills.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to source more oil and gas through the North Sea, given the current disruption to energy supplies caused by hostilities in the Middle East.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
We are confident that we have multiple and sufficient sources of supply.
Oil and gas are traded on international markets, therefore greater domestic production of oil and gas would not take a penny off bills.
The North Sea is a highly mature basin. Production is naturally declining and has been for the last 25 years. We no longer have the reserves available to support domestic energy demand.
The only route to energy sovereignty and energy security for Britain is our mission for clean, homegrown power that we control.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Whitehead on Thursday 26 February (HL Deb col 742), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the protocol to surround a fire with safety measures and allow it to burn out in controlling and extinguishing fires and thermal runaways caused by battery energy storage facilities.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
It is the responsibility of fire and rescue services to determine an appropriate firefighting strategy in the event of a battery thermal runaway event. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has published guidance for local fire and rescue services on grid-scale batteries, to enable effective operational pre-planning.
Government has confidence in the NFCC and local fire and rescue services being best placed to make these assessments.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the procedure by which fire and rescue services are consulted at the planning stages of battery energy storage facilities to advise on site design, minimising fire risk and emergency response planning.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
As set out in the Planning Practice Guidance, government recommends that developers of battery storage facilities engage with fire and rescue services ahead of the submission of the relevant planning application. This is so that issues relating to the siting of the development can be considered ahead of planning.
The guidance also recommends that local planning authorities consult with fire services as part of the formal period of public consultation prior to reaching a planning determination, as well as considering guidance published by the National Fire Chiefs Council.