Small modular nuclear reactor programs,cluster” locations for carbon capture and grants for installing heat pumps are among the plans being announced today by the Government in tackling the country’s energy security
Entitled Powering Up Britain, The Government says the plans will boost the country’s energy security and independence and reducing household bills for the long term and maintaining a world-leading position in achieving net zero.
The plans, say the Government, will support almost half a million new green jobs by 2030, create a strategic advantage in new clean industries, and generate opportunities for UK businesses to export their expertise around the world.
In a thousand pages first projects will be announced to progress to the next stage of the negotiations to rollout the first Carbon Capture clusters in our industrial heartlands.
The round for areas to apply for two additional future clusters has also been launched and there will be an opportunity for further projects to be added to the first two clusters.
There will be investment into the UK’s emerging floating offshore wind industry by launching the £160 million fund to support port infrastructure projects, securing the UK’s leadership in this new technology.
There will be a tranche of new green hydrogen production projects under the £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund as part of development of this new power source.
Great British Nuclear, will initially be led by Simon Bowen as interim Chair and Gwen Parry-Jones OBE as interim Chief Executive Officer: with GBN’s first job to launch a new competition to select the best Small Modular Reactor technologies – one of the most advanced nuclear power technologies in the world – for development by Autumn.
The Government pledges to speed up the planning process to attract investment – reforming the planning process to enable the building of more energy infrastructure including solar power and offshore wind projects more quickly.
and reduce household bills by expanding Government energy efficiency support to even more households – The Great British Insulation Scheme, a rebranded ECO+, will upgrade 300,000 of the country’s least energy efficient homes.
They will invest more than £380 million into boosting EV charging points and infrastructure across the country to support the rollout of electric vehicles and will reduce reliance on fossil fuels to heat our buildings – a new £30 million Heat Pump Investment Accelerator is designed to leverage £270 million private investment to
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers a £5,000 grant to anyone buying a heat pump, will be extended to 2028.
Announcing the scheme Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps and Rishi Sunak will shortly visit a nuclear fusion development facility near Oxford
Labour have described the plans as feeble re-announcements” and note that no new money in on offer
