Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, 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.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of incentives to landlords to improve the energy efficiency of residential properties.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing the energy efficiency of rental properties on carbon emissions in Surrey.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, 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.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of hydrogen-hybrid vehicles on achieving the UK's net-zero emissions targets.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the use of hydrogen for heating.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of cooperative energy models.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
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.