Written questions by McMurdock.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20th March 2026, what discussions his Department has had with the Ministry of Defence in previous years regarding the impact of offshore wind on radar systems.

As part of a mission led Government, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Ministry of Defence and have worked together to assess the impact of offshore wind on the UK’s radar systems and the potential for delays to offshore wind deployment. This collaborative effort informed the procurement of the new specially designed air defence radar systems, which will facilitate the co-existence of up to 10 GW of offshore wind capacity, enabling the Government to deliver its clean power mission whilst protecting national security.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20th March 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of radar-related constraints on previous offshore wind project delays.

As part of a mission led Government, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Ministry of Defence and have worked together to assess the impact of offshore wind on the UK’s radar systems and the potential for delays to offshore wind deployment. This collaborative effort informed the procurement of the new specially designed air defence radar systems, which will facilitate the co-existence of up to 10 GW of offshore wind capacity, enabling the Government to deliver its clean power mission whilst protecting national security.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20th March 2026, what monitoring arrangements will be put in place to ensure that the radar upgrades deliver the expected increase in offshore wind deployment.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will continue to work closely to ensure that proposed wind farms can operate at their design capacity and for which MOD consent has been granted. Any necessary contingency measures are incorporated within the bilateral agreements between the MOD and offshore wind developers. Ongoing collaboration between DESNZ, MOD, and developers, provides robust oversight of the overall delivery of offshore wind capacity, with the radar upgrades forming a key part of the wider enabling infrastructure to facilitate increased offshore wind deployment.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20th March 2026, what contingency plans are in place if the radar upgrades do not unlock the full 10 GW of offshore wind capacity anticipated.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will continue to work closely to ensure that proposed wind farms can operate at their design capacity and for which MOD consent has been granted. Any necessary contingency measures are incorporated within the bilateral agreements between the MOD and offshore wind developers. Ongoing collaboration between DESNZ, MOD, and developers, provides robust oversight of the overall delivery of offshore wind capacity, with the radar upgrades forming a key part of the wider enabling infrastructure to facilitate increased offshore wind deployment.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20 March 2026, what the cost is of procuring the new air defence radar systems.

The Government has signed a £95m contract with BAE Systems to deliver a technologically advanced radar that secures the coexistence of air defence and offshore wind, supporting both national and energy security. These upgrades to the UK’s air defence radars will help unlock up to 10GW of offshore wind, £20bn in private investment and thousands of skilled jobs. The Ministry of Defence has agreed to fund this contract, with financial support from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, as part of a mission-led government. Funding was allocated at the Spending Review 2025 and has not been diverted from wider RAF or Air Defence budgets.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20 March 2026, what his planned timetable is for deployment of the new radar systems.

By upgrading our air defence radars, this government will unlock up to 10GW of offshore wind capacity through projects in Scotland, East Anglia and North East England, £20bn in private investment and thousands of skilled jobs, supporting both national and energy security. The Government’s contract is with BAE Systems. Work will take place at BAE Systems’ facilities in Cowes, sustaining high quality engineering jobs in the Isle of Wight. Further commercial aspects of BAE Systems’ bid are commercial matters for the supplier. These new radars will be installed from 2029.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20 March 2026, whether any elements of the radar systems will be manufactured outside the United Kingdom.

By upgrading our air defence radars, this government will unlock up to 10GW of offshore wind capacity through projects in Scotland, East Anglia and North East England, £20bn in private investment and thousands of skilled jobs, supporting both national and energy security. The Government’s contract is with BAE Systems. Work will take place at BAE Systems’ facilities in Cowes, sustaining high quality engineering jobs in the Isle of Wight. Further commercial aspects of BAE Systems’ bid are commercial matters for the supplier. These new radars will be installed from 2029.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20 March 2026, which Department's budget the new radar systems will be sourced from.

The Government has signed a £95m contract with BAE Systems to deliver a technologically advanced radar that secures the coexistence of air defence and offshore wind, supporting both national and energy security. These upgrades to the UK’s air defence radars will help unlock up to 10GW of offshore wind, £20bn in private investment and thousands of skilled jobs. The Ministry of Defence has agreed to fund this contract, with financial support from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, as part of a mission-led government. Funding was allocated at the Spending Review 2025 and has not been diverted from wider RAF or Air Defence budgets.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20 March 2026, which offshore wind projects will be enabled by the radar upgrades.

By upgrading our air defence radars, this government will unlock up to 10GW of offshore wind capacity through projects in Scotland, East Anglia and North East England, £20bn in private investment and thousands of skilled jobs, supporting both national and energy security. The Government’s contract is with BAE Systems. Work will take place at BAE Systems’ facilities in Cowes, sustaining high quality engineering jobs in the Isle of Wight. Further commercial aspects of BAE Systems’ bid are commercial matters for the supplier. These new radars will be installed from 2029.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled New radar systems to unlock offshore wind, published on 20 March 2026, what estimate he has made of the lifetime operating and maintenance costs of the new radar systems.

By upgrading our air defence radars, this government will unlock up to 10GW of offshore wind capacity through projects in Scotland, East Anglia and North East England, £20bn in private investment and thousands of skilled jobs, supporting both national and energy security. The Government’s contract is with BAE Systems. Work will take place at BAE Systems’ facilities in Cowes, sustaining high quality engineering jobs in the Isle of Wight. Further commercial aspects of BAE Systems’ bid are commercial matters for the supplier. These new radars will be installed from 2029.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of battery storage technology for large-scale grid stabilisation.

Battery energy storage systems can play an important role in large-scale grid stabilisation, depending on the type of inverter technology used and their location on the network. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for grid stability, and the department works with NESO to ensure that we have the resources needed for secure system operation. Battery energy storage systems with grid-forming capabilities were trialled on the Stability Pathfinder programme and are now eligible to apply into the Stability Market which offers a route for NESO to procure these services through a transparent and competitive market.

What assessment he has made of the UK’s refinery capacity and whether they are sufficient to meet national demand.

The Department publishes data on refinery production (Table 3.12) and demand for petroleum products (Table 3.13) as part of Energy Trends: UK oil and oil products - GOV.UK. These data are updated monthly.

What estimate he has made of the volume of UK-origin oil and gas reserves that are currently being extracted by foreign operators and subsequently re-imported into the UK.

Oil and gas produced in the North Sea is traded on international markets, regardless of whether the operator is UK-based or otherwise. Due to the physical characteristics of UK North Sea Crude, such as density and sulphur content, it is often more cost-effective for UK refineries to process imported crude oils that are better suited to their configurations. In 2024, 92% of oil production and 34% of UK natural gas production was exported.

What assessment he has made of the impact of restrictions on new North Sea drilling licences on a) domestic energy production and b) the level of reliance on imported oil and gas.

The government has thoroughly assessed the impacts of its policies in the North Sea, as set out in the government’s North Sea Future Plan. Oil and gas production is in natural decline, with a 75% reduction in production occurring between 1999 and 2024. Assessments show that new licences to explore and potentially drill for new oil and gas fields would only make a marginal difference to overall production. It would not change the UK’s status as a net importer of oil and gas.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his renewable energy policies on non-electricity energy demand.

The Department has made a range of assessments of energy supply and demand under a range of scenarios. The published energy and emissions projections set out a view of electricity and non-electricity energy demand given firm and funded policy." Annex_E_primary_energy_demand_TWh.ods

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the reliability of (a) wind and (b) solar generation.

The UK is one of the windiest countries in Europe and has a large resource of wind at its disposal. Solar panels can generate large amounts of electricity across the UK, even on cloudy days and from indirect sunlight, and they work more efficiently at cooler temperatures. Both technologies have evolved significantly and are now able to maximise generation at times of high and low wind or sun, for longer.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the role of oil and gas in the production of essential goods such as a) pharmaceuticals, b) medical equipment and c) agricultural inputs in the UK.

The government recognises the importance of oil and gas for a wide range of industrial purposes. The government’s North Sea Future Plan sets out our plans for managing existing oil and gas fields for their lifespan while not issuing new licences to explore new fields.

What assessment he has made of electricity generation capacity in Scotland.

Information on electricity generation sites owned by Major Power Producers, including location, is published in table 5.11 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics. Total renewable electricity generation capacity for Scotland is published in table 6.1 of UK Energy Trends. Capacity of Combined Heat & Power plants in Scotland is published in table 7.8 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics.

What estimate he has made of the land area required to deploy sufficient battery storage to support a fully renewable electricity system.

DESNZ has not made a formal estimate on land requirements for batteries to support a fully renewable electricity system. There are more battery projects than are likely to need to be deployed to support a fully renewable electricity system. Government does not hold data on all their projected land use. The recently published Land Use Framework (LUF) incorporates projections for renewable energy infrastructure. Government is working with NESO to ensure LUF operates cohesively alongside the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). SSEP will assess and identify optimal locations, quantities and types of generation and storage required to meet future energy demands.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Government to go "further and faster" in becoming energy secure, published on 15 March 2026, whether the plug-in solar panels received Government funding.

As set out in the announcement we are working to make plug-in solar panels available in shops as quickly as possible. Plug-in solar panels are not currently eligible for government grants or loans however we keep technology eligibility for government schemes under review.