The past few days have been very busy for the sector with the release of the Government's 10-year Infrastructure Strategy last Thursday and the Industrial Strategy on Monday.
Please see an overview of some key announcements impacting the sector below:
Infrastructure Strategy
- Clean Power Action Plan - the Government will continue to follow its Clean Power Action Plan to meet its clean energy by 2030 target.
- Clean Flexibility Roadmap - will be published this year and contain actions across short and long duration flexibility as well as broader enabling policies such as digitalisation and markets.
- Decarbonising heat and buildings - highlights that the upcoming Warm Homes Plan will upgrade homes across England through energy efficiency measures, solar, batteries and clean heat technology.
- Green skills and private capital - recognises that workforce and skill gaps need to be addressed to accelerate infrastructure delivery. Further initiatives will be detailed in the upcoming Clean Energy Workforce Strategy.
Industrial Strategy
The Industrial Strategy identifies eight high-growth industries, including clean energy industries, setting out key priorities over the next decade, notably:
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From 2027, a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will see eligible businesses exempt from paying the costs of the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market, although details on how this will be funded is vague.
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The Strategic Sites Accelerator will identify and prepare strategically significant industrial sites, including in clean energy industries, to address specific barriers such as grid connections and planning.
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Launch of a Connections Accelerator Service with the aim of boosting support for demand projects.
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Driving demand for larger commercial and industrial heat pumps through heat networks.