Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps to ensure (a) market transparency and (b) protection of consumer interest by requiring National Grid ESO to publish the assumed load factors used to rank bids in the new Optional Downward Flexibility Mechanism made necessary by the low demand resulting from the public health measures adopted to tackle covid-19.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government believes that transparency is essential for a stable, secure energy market in which industry and consumers can participate with confidence.
The Optional Downward Flexibility Mechanism (ODFM) service has been established by National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) to be used in exceptional circumstances and under certain conditions. ODFM was critical during recent periods of exceptionally low demand as it created ‘space’ on the system, thereby allowing the ESO to balance the system without having to resort to implementing emergency disconnection of embedded generation. As lockdown restrictions relax and demand increases, there is likely to be less of a requirement to use this service.
Ofgem, as the independent energy regulator, has a statutory duty to protect the interests of GB’s energy consumers and is responsible for ensuring that the ESO procures services to balance electricity demand and supply (including ODFM) in an open, transparent, economic and efficient manner.
The ESO is committed to transparency and provides a comprehensive suite of data relating to its activities via their data portal [https://data.nationalgrideso.com/ancillary-services/optional-downward-flexibility-management-odfm-market-information?from=0#resources]; this includes extensive information about the ODFM service. The ESO is continuing to publish further information about activities undertaken as a result of the pandemic. We have asked them to publish further information in relation to load factors for ODFM as part of this.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 in each year between 2020 and 2050.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Committee on Climate Change has not provided the Department with an estimate of the costs in each year from 2020 to 2050 for delivering the UK’s net zero target.
Costs are inevitably uncertain between 2020 and 2049 but the CCC estimate that the costs of delivering the net zero target will be equivalent to 1-2% of GDP in 2050. We will publish further detail in the impact assessment for the sixth carbon budget and for all policies which we take forward to deliver the net zero target.
In addition, HM Treasury are carrying out a review into the costs of transitioning to a net zero economy, as recommended by the CCC. The review will consider how to pay for this and how to achieve the transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances, as well as how we can ensure this is compatible with plans for a thriving and competitive economy.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether her Department has received from the Committee on Climate Change an estimate of the costs of achieving net zero carbon emissions in each year from 2020 to 2049.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Committee on Climate Change has not provided the Department with an estimate of the costs in each year from 2020 to 2049 for delivering the UK’s net zero target.
Costs are inevitably uncertain between 2020 and 2049 but the CCC estimate that the costs of delivering the net zero target will be equivalent to 1-2% of GDP in 2050. We will publish further detail in the impact assessment for the sixth carbon budget and for all policies which we take forward to deliver the net zero target.
In addition, HM Treasury are carrying out a review into the costs of transitioning to a net zero economy, as recommended by the CCC. The review will consider how to pay for this and how to achieve the transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances, as well as how we can ensure this is compatible with plans for a thriving and competitive economy.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has calculated the social costs linked to pollutants emitted from biomass boilers supported by the Renewable Heat Incentive in (a) urban areas and (b) rural areas.
Answered by Claire Perry
In the February 2018 Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Impact Assessment, Government estimated the social costs and benefits from carbon savings and air quality impacts for biomass boilers supported under the RHI. The discounted lifetime value of carbon savings and air quality impacts from RHI biomass boilers is shown below. This demonstrates a positive impact, and therefore the social benefit of biomass on the scheme across GB.
Carbon savings (traded and non-traded) | +£2,860m |
Air quality benefits | +£550m |
Total | +£3,410m |
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has calculated the social costs linked to pollutants emitted from biomass boilers supported by the Renewable Heat Incentive since that scheme began in 2013.
Answered by Claire Perry
In the February 2018 Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Impact Assessment, Government estimated the social costs and benefits from carbon savings and air quality impacts for biomass boilers supported under the RHI. The discounted lifetime value of carbon savings and air quality impacts from RHI biomass boilers is shown below. This demonstrates a positive impact, and therefore the social benefit of biomass on the scheme across GB.
Carbon savings (traded and non-traded) | +£2,860m |
Air quality benefits | +£550m |
Total | +£3,410m |
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the use of biomass boilers supported financially by the (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic renewable heat incentive on (i) air quality and (ii) levels of (A) morbidity and (B) mortality in (1) urban and (2) rural areas.
Answered by Claire Perry
Biomass Boilers supported under the RHI scheme must meet strict air quality and feedstock sustainability rules. The air quality requirements ensure applicants for both RHI schemes with a biomass boiler (including CHP) will need to have emissions levels no higher than 30 grams per gigajoule (g/GJ) net heat input for particulate matter (PM) and 150g/GJ for oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which are the two main pollutants. Currently no data is available on levels of morbidity and mortality.
We are currently consulting on making new biomass installations in urban areas ineligible for the RHI. The consultation also contains an assessment of the impacts of this policy change. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/renewable-heat-incentive-biomass-combustion-in-urban-areas
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the use of biomass boilers supported financially by the (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic renewable heat incentive on (i) air quality and (ii) levels of (A) particulate emissions, (B) morbidity and (C) mortality.
Answered by Claire Perry
Biomass Boilers supported under the RHI scheme must meet strict air quality and feedstock sustainability rules. The air quality requirements ensure applicants for both RHI schemes with a biomass boiler (including CHP) will need to have emissions levels no higher than 30 grams per gigajoule (g/GJ) net heat input for particulate matter (PM) and 150g/GJ for oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which are the two main pollutants. Currently no data is available on levels of morbidity and mortality.
We are currently consulting on making new biomass installations in urban areas ineligible for the RHI. The consultation also contains an assessment of the impacts of this policy change. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/renewable-heat-incentive-biomass-combustion-in-urban-areas
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much (a) PM2.5, (b) ammonia, (c) nitrogen oxides, (d) sulphur dioxide, (e) benzene, (f) formaldhyde, (g) acrolein and (h) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is emitted annually by sources supported financially by the (i) domestic and (ii) non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive.
Answered by Claire Perry
Government recognises the scale of the challenge on national air quality. That’s why DEFRA will be publishing a Clean Air Strategy in 2018. The Government’s long-term strategy is to see households move away from polluting fuels towards cleaner technologies.
Technologies supported by the Renewable Heat Incentive must meet strict air quality rules. Biomass boilers are likely to replace oil boilers, reducing pollutants overall as a result. Work is ongoing to assess the air quality impact of the RHI scheme, and this will feed into future policymaking.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the timetable is for the publication of the analysis of the UK’s off-grid housing stock deemed suitable for using heat pumps as referenced in the Future Framework for Heat in Buildings consultation.
Answered by Claire Perry
We have been carrying out analysis to get a better understanding of the off grid housing stock using current available evidence and data from the English Housing Survey and the devolved equivalents. The analysis aims to understand the proportion of off gas grid homes in which heat pumps could provide sufficient levels of comfort. It will form the basis of further research and analysis later this year, which we intend to publish once complete.
Asked by: Graham Stringer (Labour - Blackley and Broughton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many installations made under the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme have been found to be non-compliant.
Answered by Claire Perry
To date Ofgem has identified 944 non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive installations as being non-compliant.
This figure includes non-compliances with or without a financial impact.