Energy: Hydrogen

Lord Bradshaw Excerpts

Thursday 17th September 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

We are closely examining all these matters. The noble Lord makes a good point and these matters will be addressed in the hydrogen strategy, when it is published in due course.

[Lord Bradshaw (LD) [V]]

I believe that industry is very anxiously awaiting the hydrogen strategy to which the Minister refers. As other noble Lords have said, green hydrogen, which does not produce CO₂, is relatively easy to make using the surplus energy we have, most of it from wind. The strategy must make great efforts in that direction.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

Green hydrogen is relatively easy to make from electrolysis but it uses large amounts of electricity, so we need to work on improving the technology. However, these are all factors that we are already working on with industry in the Hydrogen Advisory Council, which will advise us on the next steps forward with the hydrogen strategy.

Renewable Energy

Lord Bradshaw Excerpts

Tuesday 15th September 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

As the noble Lord said, we have a tremendous record in deployment of renewables. Renewable capacity in the UK has gone from less than 9 gigawatts at the start of 2010 to almost 47 gigawatts at the start of 2020. We certainly hope to increase that rapid deployment.

[Lord Bradshaw (LD) [V]]

Could the Minister talk about the future of interconnectors and whether more are planned to give the security of supply to which he referred?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

As the noble Lord correctly said, a number of very successful interconnector projects already exist and will exist in the future. We think they will make a valuable contribution to our energy mix and to providing security of supply.

UK Internal Market: White Paper

Lord Bradshaw Excerpts

Wednesday 29th July 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

The free ports policy is unaffected by this legislation. If the power exists for devolved Administrations to create them, it is unchanged by this legislation.

[Lord Bradshaw (LD) [V]]

I have a simple question, of which I have given the Minister notice. Good public transport is essential to the functioning of the union, but public transport is at present in a very weak condition. This could be remedied by a strong message from government that public transport is safe and, to help keep it that way, you should wear a mask. Also, since the coronavirus, travel patterns have changed, particularly season-ticket journeys, and the overdue fares provision is a key factor for the Government. Can we expect an announcement imminently?

[Lord Callanan]

While that is not the subject of this legislation, I can reassure the noble Lord that the Government’s proposals on the UK internal market will not impact on the transport system between the constituent parts of the UK. I totally accept his wider concerns on the need to revive the public transport industry. I believe he is in correspondence with my ministerial colleague, my noble friend Lady Vere, and I am sure she will respond to him shortly.