Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how small businesses will be included in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, published on 23 June, and what mechanisms will be available for local, non-corporate organisations to build onshore wind turbines and solar farms, such as the Orkney Community Wind Farms.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, launched on 23 June 2025 under the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, targets regional growth and aims to double clean energy investment to over £30 billion a year by 2035, with small businesses playing a key role. The Plan proposes streamlining planning, improving grid access, and supporting innovation to benefit SMEs and local firms.
Additionally, Great British Energy will boost investment in local and community energy projects, ensuring communities play a central role in the UK’s clean energy transition. For 2025/26, we have set up £5 million in grant funding through the Great British Energy Community Fund, which is available to community energy groups to help communities develop their own clean energy projects, including solar-powered generation and onshore wind.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs associated with manufacturing infrastructure for clean energy industries in the UK, and what assessment they have made of the impact those costs have on energy prices for households and industries in the short and long term.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Our Clean Power Action Plan will deliver Clean Power by 2030, with an expected £40bn of investment on average per year our to 2030. Government is also determined to secure associated growth and resilience opportunities alongside our world-leading deployment plans, by increasing domestic manufacturing in Clean Energy Industries and associated innovation and services. Clean Energy Industries have been prioritised as a frontier industry in the Industrial Strategy to enable us to capture these opportunities. This sets out a comprehensive policy package to secure private investment in clean energy manufacturing. These decisions lay the foundations for a future energy system that will grow the economy for local communities and real people by securing and creating new quality jobs and protecting bill payers.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the national security risks of a strike by unionised energy sector workers; what plans they have to minimise those risks; and what steps they are taking to ensure that clean energy industries are appealing to private sector investors as workers in that industry unionise.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government continually assesses risks to national energy security, including from industrial action, as reflected in the National Risk Register. Under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004), critical sectors including energy infrastructure must have in place plans for maintaining key services in the event of significant workplace absences including strikes.
As set out in our Industrial Strategy: Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, we work in strong partnership with unions, industry, and investors to foster a thriving and skilled workforce, safeguard energy security, and maintaining investor confidence in the UK’s clean energy future.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the carbon capture projects in Aberdeenshire and the Humber are successful.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government has announced its support for the Acorn (Scotland) and Viking (Humber) clusters and is providing the development funding to advance their delivery. A final investment decision (FID) will be taken later this Parliament, subject to project readiness and affordability.
The government has been working with clusters to understand what they need to keep them progressing to FID and are confident the Spending Review outcome will enable us to continue collaborating on that.
As agreed with Acorn, the government has established a ministerial-led forum, where UK and Scottish governments, regulators and industry representatives come together on a regular basis to drive forward momentum for the Scottish cluster. The forum convened for the first time on 22/07/25 and was chaired by the Minister for Industry.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the Scottish Government to develop new nuclear power stations.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Planning policy is devolved to the Scottish Government and they have made it clear they oppose the building of new nuclear power stations.
The UK Government works productively with the Scottish Government on a range of energy issues and we would welcome engagement on new nuclear given the growing interest in the potential for projects in Scotland and the opportunity for jobs and skills across the country, should the position on planning change.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of threats to national security as a result of importing clean energy industry infrastructure such as wind turbines and solar panels, in particular from China; and what steps they are taking to minimise those risks.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure. Investment in the energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny – we take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.
DESNZ works closely with industry and other government departments to maintain a detailed picture of ownership and foreign involvement in energy infrastructure, including for investors from key manufacturing regions such as China, other Asian countries, and Europe.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of wind and solar generation was curtailed in each of the past three years, and what the estimated cost of this curtailment was to taxpayers and bill-payers.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for operating Great Britain’s electricity system and managing constraints. Constraint payments are part of Balancing Use of System charges and NESO publishes total balancing costs, which are paid for by energy users and totalled £1.7bn in 2024. Published costs are not split between different types of generators.
Constraints are a natural part of operating an efficient electricity system and constraint payments are used around the world. However, Government is working to reduce constraints and improve energy security by accelerating the building of new electricity network infrastructure to increase capacity on the system.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much they have spent to date on advertising, branding and marketing in relation to the establishment of Great British Energy; and what the projected total expenditure is for these activities.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Spend by Great British Energy will be published in the usual way through annual reports and accounts.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's current energy security in the light of increasing reliance on intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar; and what steps are being taken to ensure a resilient and reliable electricity grid.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Great Britain is expected to have sufficient supplies of electricity and gas to meet consumers’ demands over the short and long-term (Statutory Security of Supply Report 2024). The UK’s diverse power mix reduces dependence on one generation source, ensuring security of supply in a range of conditions. By complementing renewables with flexible capacity, we ensure we can meet demand no matter the weather.
Through the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, we have taken significant steps to ensuring a resilient electricity grid, including reforming grid connections, streamlining the planning system, and supporting investment in supply chains and green jobs.
Asked by: Lord Offord of Garvel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increased use of (1) heat pumps, and (2) electric cars, on electricity demand; and whether they anticipate that this will result in (a) increased prices for consumers, and (b) increased use of gas-fired power stations, or importation of electricity.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As part of their advice on delivering Clean Power 2030*, the National Energy System Operator found that electricity demand growth of approximately 11% by 2030 would be required to electrify transport, heat and industry at the pace required to meet the Nationally Determined Contribution emissions target for 2030. This advice also found that overall costs to consumers would not increase from the shift to a clean power system whilst unabated gas should provide less than 5% of Great Britain’s generation in a typical weather year.
*Clean Power 2030 | National Energy System Operator