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 assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing restrictions on the creation of new onshore wind farms.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In December 2022, the Government published a consultation on making changes to national planning policy for new onshore wind farms in England. After consideration of all responses, on 5 September the Government set out changes to make it easier for local authorities to allocate suitable areas for onshore wind developments and to provide greater flexibility in addressing associated planning impacts.
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, whether she has made a comparative assessment of (a) climate change and (b) long-overdue summer sun as potential causes of the heatwave in early September 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
A detailed assessment of the September heatwave has not yet been made. The heatwave occurred when a high-pressure system led to clear skies and warm air to be drawn north from continental Europe. Climate change has increased air and sea surface temperatures across the UK and Europe meaning that, while a specific attribution analysis has not yet been conducted for this heatwave, existing scientific evidence suggests that it is very likely temperatures were higher than they might otherwise have been under the same weather pattern in a world without human-induced climate change.
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, whether her Department is taking steps to encourage domestic production of geothermal power.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Geothermal technologies that generate electricity are eligible for the Contracts for Difference scheme, which is the Government’s main mechanism for supporting low carbon electricity generation.
The Department is updating its evidence base for geothermal power and is considering additional steps to encourage domestic production.
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 recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the volume of geothermal power produced in the UK.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The recently published ‘case for deep geothermal’ white paper commissioned by the Department and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership draws on British Geological Survey data to identify areas suitable for geothermal power.
The Department will develop its knowledge through a substantial research project aimed at updating its geothermal evidence base and creating a data platform to support geothermal deployment.
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, whether she and her predecessor have held (a) meetings and (b) discussions with their Icelandic counterparts in the last 12 months.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and her predecessor have not held meetings or discussions with their Icelandic counterparts in the last 12 months.
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 support the British Virgin Islands to achieve its renewable energy targets.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The British Virgin Islands and other British Overseas Territories have delegated responsibility for their energy systems. The UK Government, however, has supported renewable energy projects through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) administered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In 2021/22, the CSSF provided over £300,000 for renewable energy projects in the British Virgin Islands, including a £115,000 project to install solar panels on a clinic and a school.
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, how much his Department has spent on investment in renewable energy in British Overseas Territories in each of the past five years.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Overseas Territories have delegated responsibility for renewable energy. As such, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not provide direct financial support. However, the Government supports renewable energy in the Territories through a range of other channels, including Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) to ODA-eligible Territories, and the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) administered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In 2021/22, the CSSF-funded Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Programme funded renewable energy projects in Ascension, the British Virgin Islands, St Helena, South Georgia, and Tristan da Cunha worth up to £445,000. In 2022/23, the CSSF Governance Programme also supported a renewable energy project in Anguilla worth up to £50,000.