Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2026 to Question 104371 on Electricity, how he plans to meet that demand.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In December 2024 we published our Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, setting out how we will meet future electricity demand and deliver a clean power system by 2030.
We are making strong progress: recent CfD allocation results secured significant new capacity; grid connection reforms are accelerating project delivery; and supply chain investments are creating high-quality jobs across the UK.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will further accelerate clean power infrastructure deployment, ensuring we meet growing demand while achieving our 2030 goals whilst the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) will support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure to meet demand across England, Scotland and Wales, on land and sea between 2030 to 2050.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of expected electricity demand in (i) 2035, (ii) 2040, (iii) 2045 and (iv) 2050.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Electricity demand between now and 2050 will depend on future decarbonisation choices and economic and population drivers.
However, the Government expects electricity demand to more than double by 2050, driven by economic and population growth and widespread electrification – particularly of transport and heating.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to publish a climate action plan that is in line with the (a) Climate Change Act 2008 and (b) Climate Change Committee’s independent assessment of the third national adaption programme.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy
We will deliver an updated Carbon Budgets and Growth Delivery Plan by October 2025 which outlines the policies needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) on a pathway to net zero. Defra is also exploring stronger climate resilience objectives ahead of the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028. We welcome the Climate Change Committee’s 2025 Progress Report. The government will consider their recommendations and respond by October.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of support for (a) householders and (b) businesses to mitigate of the costs of net zero transition.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy
To reach net zero requires a wide-reaching transformation of the UK economy, which brings with it incredible opportunity for jobs and growth across the country. It will attract investment into our communities and help support new jobs.
Accelerating to net zero will unlock a range of benefits for businesses, including new market opportunities, access to green finance and reduced energy bills. We support the UK Business Climate Hub which provides advice to support business, particularly SMEs, to take action to reduce emissions. We have also committed to publishing a Public Participation Strategy for Net Zero this year, which will include how we will support people to adopt new technologies.
In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers permanently is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy.