Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what policies his Department is developing to ensure that (a) heavy-duty vehicle depots and (b) bus depots can access timely electricity grid connections.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is implementing fundamental reforms to the connections process that will free up capacity and accelerate connections, including for heavy-duty vehicle and bus depots. Alongside this, we encourage transport stakeholders to engage with NESO to ensure that the regional energy strategic plans that will inform future investment in grid capacity reflect their future electricity requirements.
However, we recognise that further action is needed, which is why we announced plans in the Industrial Strategy to use new legal powers to accelerate grid connection timelines for the most strategically important demand customers.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
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 implications for his Department's policies on renewable electricity generation of the Royal Society's report entitled Net zero aviation fuels: resource requirements and environmental impacts published on 28 February 2023.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The report in question considers four potential net zero aviation fuels: hydrogen, ammonia, synthetic fuels (efuels) and biofuels. Recommendations include the need for further Research and Development of the efficient production, storage and use of green hydrogen and efuels.
The government is committed to delivering greener transport and supporting its missions to kick start economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower, and we will continue to work together with industry to consider the best way to support the aviation industry to decarbonise, including through the Jet Zero Taskforce.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many staff in his Department are working primarily on (a) fossil fuels, (b) renewables excluding biomass, (c) biomass, (d) carbon capture and storage, (e) nuclear energy, (f) energy networks, (g) energy storage, and (h) energy efficiency.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has around 4600 full time equivalents (FTE) working across multiple policy areas and programmes. These include renewables, biomass, carbon capture and storage, nuclear, energy networks, oil and gas, energy storage and energy efficiency, amongst others. The Department’s resourcing is recorded and aligned to its organisation structure, rather than to portfolios. This means we are unable to provide a detailed breakdown for each of the areas mentioned.