Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it remains his policy for the hydrogen economy to develop large cluster networks, large scale storage and integration with gas networks by 2028-2030 as set out in the UK Hydrogen Strategy, publish in August 2021.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Yes the Government is committed to the ambitions set out in the UK Hydrogen Strategy.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2023 to Questions 191725, 191726 and 191727 on Hydrogen, what the additional considerations associated with transmission level blending are.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Any policy decision on transmission blending will be determined by economic and safety assessments and wider strategic considerations. Additional considerations associated with transmission level blending include the impact of blends and/or varying blend rates on industrial end users connected at transmission-level. Government will also need to consider the blending plans of countries that we share interconnectors with.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
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 estimate of the number of households that will require an electricity upgrade by the Distribution Network Operators to enable the electrification of heat and transport.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government has not made such an estimate, which would depend on variables such as size of heat pump, power of electric vehicle charge point and existing supply capacity, where comprehensive data is not available. Domestic supplies can be upgraded if required, for example by installing a larger fuse, and the use of smart energy management solutions such as electric vehicle smart charging can also help reduce the maximum demand of a property to facilitate the installation, and use, of low carbon technologies.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June to Question 188651 on Electricity: Storage and with reference to the Government response to the Call for Evidence on large-scale, long-duration electricity storage, published in August 2022, whether he plans to a) have an appropriate framework and (b) develop appropriate policy to enable investment by 2024.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Yes. As per the answer to Question 188651 on 13th June and In Powering Up Britain, the Government committed to put in place an appropriate framework by 2024 to enable investment in large scale long duration electricity storage (LLES), with the goal of deploying sufficient storage capacity to balance the overall system. We are currently undertaking the next phase of policy development to assess what policy approach is best suited to enable investment in LLES projects and anticipate further consultation with stakeholders later this year.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of a cap and floor mechanism as an option to enable investment in large-scale, long-duration electricity storage.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is currently undertaking the next phase of policy development to assess what policy approach is best suited to enable investment in Large-scale, Long-duration Electricity Storage (LLES) projects. Government have been assessing a range of potential interventions, including cap and floor mechanisms, and their suitability to enable investment in LLES. Government anticipates further consultation with stakeholders later this year.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
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 a comparative assessment of the Government making (a) fixed payments to operators of Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage based on how much CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and (b) through using carbon pricing in helping to incentivise carbon capture and storage by Bioenergy producers.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government assessed and consulted in August 2022 on options for the business model to deploy power Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (‘BECCS’). A response was published in March 2023. The preferred approach for the business model was confirmed as being the ‘Dual CfD’, consisting of a ‘CfDe’ which values the electricity generated and a ‘CfDc’ which values the carbon stored and associated negative emissions. The UK ETS Authority has announced its intention to include engineered removals in the UK ETS, to incentivise investment and support deployment of these technologies. These technologies could include those within scope of the power BECCS business model. The Authority aims to carry out a further consultation in 2023.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of blending hydrogen into the gas transmission network.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government aims to make a policy decision on whether to blend hydrogen into the existing gas distribution networks in 2023, subject to the outcomes from ongoing economic and safety assessments and strategic considerations, including potential impacts on hydrogen production and the wider energy system. The initial 2023 policy decision will consider distribution-level blending only. The Government will assess the case for blending at transmission-level, which may be subject to a separate policy decision at a later date. There are additional considerations associated with transmission level blending that will be factored in as part of the assessment.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
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 impact of introducing hydrogen into the gas transmission network on the growth of the (a) hydrogen production and (b) renewable energy industries.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government aims to make a policy decision on whether to blend hydrogen into the existing gas distribution networks in 2023, subject to the outcomes from ongoing economic and safety assessments and strategic considerations, including potential impacts on hydrogen production and the wider energy system. The initial 2023 policy decision will consider distribution-level blending only. The Government will assess the case for blending at transmission-level, which may be subject to a separate policy decision at a later date. There are additional considerations associated with transmission level blending that will be factored in as part of the assessment.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to announce his policy on blending hydrogen into the gas transmission network.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government aims to make a policy decision on whether to blend hydrogen into the existing gas distribution networks in 2023, subject to the outcomes from ongoing economic and safety assessments and strategic considerations, including potential impacts on hydrogen production and the wider energy system. The initial 2023 policy decision will consider distribution-level blending only. The Government will assess the case for blending at transmission-level, which may be subject to a separate policy decision at a later date. There are additional considerations associated with transmission level blending that will be factored in as part of the assessment.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to support households that did not receive support from the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund or the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) provided £400 to households with a domestic electricity meter. The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) provided £400 to around 900,000 households who were not supplied by a domestic electricity contract and who were unable to receive support automatically through EBSS. EBSS was operational until March 2023, and EBSS AF was open until 31 May 2023.
To protect public funds against potentially fraudulent activity, the Government required people applying for EBBS AF to show proof of address, such as a tenancy agreement or a utility bill. The Government understands that some households may not have been able to provide this evidence, which meant they were not able to apply for EBBS AF. The Government is working to determine if there is a robust method for these households to provide proof of their sole residence, whilst protecting public funds, so that support can be made available.