Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
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 the Government has made of progress towards its 2020 renewable target in the (a) heat and (b) transport sectors.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The 2020 renewable energy target requires the UK to achieve 15% of final energy consumption from renewables by the end of this decade. This requires action to promote renewables in electricity generation, heating and transport. There is a binding 10% sub-target of transport fuels from renewable sources.
Our most recent report to the European Commission, published on 21 January 2016, sets out progress in renewables deployment over 2013 and 2014 across heating and cooling, transport and electricity sectors. We reported beating our target and reaching 6.3% of final energy consumption from renewables for 2013 and 2014 against an interim target of 5.4%.
We are making good progress towards the next interim target of an average of 7.47% of energy from renewables across 2015 and 2016. In 2015 8.3% of energy came from renewable sources.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
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 made an assessment of the potential effect of the Ofgem review of Embedded Benefit grid charges on energy intensive industries and the pace of roll-out of energy storage technologies in the UK.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Network charging is a matter for Ofgem, as the independent regulator, and it is leading the review of embedded benefits related to Transmission Network Use of System charges. Proposals for changing the embedded benefits regime are currently being progressed through an open industry process, and it is likely that Ofgem will undertake a further consultation and impact assessment in early 2017. It will make a decision on its approach to consultation and assessment when it receives the final modification report. We will engage with Ofgem as part of its assessment process to ensure that Government policy interests are taken into account, including aspects such as the potential effect of reducing the level of embedded benefits on household and business electricity costs (including energy intensive industries) and energy storage.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to publish the outcome of its call for evidence on the energy technology list.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department is currently analysing the responses to the Energy Technology List Call for Evidence. A decision on next steps will be taken in due course.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of introducing enhanced capital allowances on the development of energy storage and other low carbon technologies.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Carbon Trust, which delivers the Energy Technology List on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, are currently conducting an initial study to consider whether there is a cost-effective case for incorporating Electrical Energy Storage Technology into the Energy Technology List. The study has sought from the outset to engage with stakeholders from across the industry, including those in Scotland, and we look forward to receiving the study’s findings in due course.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a Market Stability Mechanism Contract for Difference.
Answered by Jesse Norman
A number of stakeholders have suggested the concept of a market-stabilising Contract for Difference for Pot 1 technologies. Officials are currently assessing these suggestions, and Ministers have therefore not yet made any decisions regarding the proposed options.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department has undertaken a value-for-money assessment for gas absorption heat pumps for inclusion within the Renewable Heat Incentive; and if she will place in the Library a copy of such an assessment.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We intend to reform the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) to improve value for money and reduce costs; improve cost control and budget management; and ensure the scheme focuses more on our long-term needs, while contributing to both our carbon and renewable energy targets. We plan to consult on the changes shortly. Therefore, I am unable to make specific commitments as to the future shape of the scheme at this point.
DECC commissioned a suite of evidence to look into the cost and performance of technologies which are not currently eligible for the RHI but could be considered for future inclusion; one of which was Gas Driven Heat Pumps – available at:
We have not undertaken a formal value for money assessment for the inclusion of gas absorption heat pumps under the RHI, though we have undertaken a more general assessment of whether gas absorption heat pumps should be supported within the RHI.
Given the challenges of reforming the existing RHI scheme, we are not persuaded that now is the time to also consider opening the scheme to technologies which are not currently supported. Instead, we want to start building a dialogue around the long-term policy framework required for the low-carbon technologies needed in the future, which does not rely on public subsidy.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress is being made on introducing data sharing arrangements between the Valuation Office Agency and the Department for Work and Pensions that would allow the up-front identification of fuel poor households; and whether she plans that those arrangements will be introduced in 2017 in time to support the new energy efficiency obligation announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We intend to consult this year on the future design of the Energy Company Obligation, including the use of Government data to help identify fuel poor households in greatest need of support. The Government is considering how access to data, including that held by the Valuation Office Agency, could be improved for the purposes of providing assistance to fuel poor households.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she plans to take to address the practice of energy companies charging for the installation of prepayment meters in cases where customers are already in debt to those energy companies.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The vast majority of suppliers offering prepayment meters as a means to repay an energy debt do not charge when consumers agree to the installation, including all of the 6 major suppliers. As of December 2015, Ofgem estimated that only 1% of consumers in debt face a charge.
Ofgem is currently consulting on the use of the warrant process used by suppliers to install prepayment meters for non-payment of energy, which includes the level of charges and how suppliers engage with consumers on energy debt. The consultation, which is available on Ofgem’s website, closes on 25 February 2016:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/proposals-improve-outcomes-prepayment-customers
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when the CfD allocation round will open for applications from renewable energy developers; and what the conditions will be for applications to a second CfD allocation round.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government will hold three Contracts for Difference auctions in this Parliament with the next auction for less established technologies expected to take place by the end of 2016. We are currently working with HM Treasury to finalise the budget for future auctions and will set out more information in due course.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) tariffs will apply to the different domestic heat and non-heat categories of the RHI scheme.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We intend to reform the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) to improve value for money and reduce costs; improve cost control and budget management; and explore the best way to support ‘less able to pay’ households and owners of large plants. We plan to consult on the changes shortly. Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider the reform of the scheme.