Every parliamentary written question tabled by Al Pinkerton this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 21–34 of 34 · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of consumer protections on (a) extended and (b) repeated electricity supply interruptions.
To help protect customers, Ofgem sets Quality-of-Service Guaranteed Standards that must be met by each DNO, these include supply restoration standards. DNOs are directly incentivised by Ofgem to reduce customer interruptions and to invest in and maintain infrastructure to guarantee minimum standards of service.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending minimum EPC rating requirements to short-term holiday lets on small accommodation providers.
Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. We have sought views on whether short-term lets should be included in the scope of our changes, to help ensure a consistent standard across all private rented properties. We have engaged widely with stakeholders, including self-catering businesses, on our proposals. A government response will be published in due course.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing consumers with access to information on (a) historical and (b) real-time electricity supply interruptions in Surrey.
Access to real time information during power disruptions is essential for situational awareness at a national and local level. All Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) offer power outage information on their websites and have made significant improvements in customer communications, following the Storm Arwen review in 2022 with requirements to report on response times during outages. Customers can access information on any disruptions by contacting their network operator by dialling 105 or alternatively visiting: https://www.powercut105.com/findoperator. DNOs, per their license obligations, report their annual performance for customer interruptions to Ofgem each year. This information is published in Ofgem's RIIO-1 Electricity Distribution Annual Report.
What steps his Department is taking to help create new jobs in the renewable energy sector in Surrey Heath constituency.
Meeting the UK’s Clean Energy Superpower Mission is vital to enhancing our economic and energy security whilst driving economic growth across the country, including Surrey Heath. In 2023, there were up to 468,000 full time equivalent employees (FTEs) working either directly in the UK low carbon and renewable economy or indirectly in the wider supply chain. Government will be publishing its first Clean Energy Workforce Strategy in due course. This strategy will set out further actions to ensure that the workforce needed for clean energy delivery is in place, and that the jobs created across the country are high-quality, inclusive, and long-term. This will include regional analysis.
What steps his Department is taking to support the development of solar power infrastructure in Surrey Heath constituency.
Solar is at the heart of the Government’s clean energy mission, and we are taking steps to support rapid deployment. In green-belt areas like Surrey Heath, solar infrastructure is more likely to be found on rooftops than in fields. Permitted development rights mean that the vast majority of rooftop projects no longer require an application for planning permission. New building standards will ensure that most new houses will be built with solar panels. We recently conducted a call for evidence about solar canopies in car parks. £13.2bn has been allocated to the Warm Homes Plan, to help people with the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements, such as rooftop solar.
What steps his Department is taking to (a) improve the resilience of the electricity network and (b) reduce the frequency of power cuts in Surrey Heath constituency.
The Government works closely with the energy industry, regulators and other stakeholders to continually improve and maintain the resilience of energy infrastructure. This includes works to reduce the vulnerability of networks and assets and ensure an effective response to actual or potentially disruptive incidents - taking into account future system changes and possible risks. Electricity Network Operators are directly incentivised by Ofgem to minimise customer interruptions and to invest in and maintain infrastructure resilience to guarantee minimum standards of service.
What steps his Department is taking to improve the energy efficiency ratings of residential properties in Surrey Heath constituency.
The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency, with £1 billion of this allocated to 2025/2026. The Government has published a consultation on improving energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector in England and Wales. The Government is also exploring the role of incentives and private finance for households to support homeowners with the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heating.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of installing solar panels on the roofs of (a) car parks, (b) warehouses (c) and council-owned buildings in Surrey.
The Government will assess the potential to drive the construction of solar canopies on outdoor carparks over a certain size through a call for evidence this year. New standards will be introduced this year which will amend the energy efficiency standards in the Building Regulations in England. This will ensure all new homes and buildings, including warehouses and council-owned buildings, in England are zero-carbon ready. Further details about how the Government will increase the deployment of solar panels will be set out in the forthcoming Solar Roadmap.
What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of incentives to landlords to improve the energy efficiency of residential properties.
Current regulations require privately rented homes in England and Wales are to meet a minimum standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band E, unless a valid exemption applies. Government will shortly consult on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. Support is currently available to landlords and tenants to improve rental properties. An eligibility tool is available on our ‘Help for Households’ GOV.UK page that will help people find the support available to them via the Home Upgrade Grant and the Great British Insulation Scheme. There is also a zero-rate of VAT until March 2027 on energy saving measures, such as insulation and low-carbon heating.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing the energy efficiency of rental properties on carbon emissions in Surrey.
Delivering the Warm Homes Plan is central to the clean energy mission. Targeting decarbonisation of heat in buildings, including the rental sector, will account for around 75% of reduction in all building emissions as well as reducing demand. Government will shortly consult on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation will be accompanied with the Department’s assessment of the potential emissions savings of consultation proposals.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of the use of hydrogen for heating.
As set out last December, the Government will assess the latest evidence on costs, benefits and feasibility before consulting on the role of hydrogen in home heating later this year.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of hydrogen-hybrid vehicles on achieving the UK's net-zero emissions targets.
Hybrid powertrains in vehicles, including hydrogen-based hybrids, are a transitional technology that could support the decarbonisation of UK transport in certain cases. The Government is currently consulting on the role of hybrid cars in the transition to net zero, with a focus on 2030-2035.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of integrating hybrid-fuelled boilers with (a) electric air-source heat pumps and (b) smart technology to help decarbonise residential properties.
Hybrid heat pumps, a heating system comprised of a fossil fuel boiler and a heat pump, have the potential to play an important role in heat decarbonisation over the coming years. The Government will continue to consider their potential and is consulting further through the ‘Raising product standards for space heating’ consultation, which is open until 25 March 2025. The previous Government consulted in April 2024 on a proposal to require smart functionality for electric heating appliances with high flexibility potential and to extend this to hybrid heat pumps. A response to that consultation will be published in due course.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of cooperative energy models.
The Government recognises the role community groups and cooperatives play in our efforts to tackle climate change. Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan will enhance existing support Community Energy Groups to roll out renewable energy projects and develop up to 8GW of cleaner power. The Government also supports the community energy sector through the £10 million Community Energy Fund, which enables communities across England to access grant funding to develop local renewable energy projects for investment. The previous Government consulted on the barriers to community energy through a Call for Evidence, which closed on 30 June 2024. We will learn from the responses to this consultation to inform our future work on community energy.