Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of shared ground loops on decarbonising heat for (a) properties without space for individual heat pumps, (b) tower blocks and (c) small terraces.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department plans to take to support clean heat installations via Wave 3 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Green Heat Network Fund in supporting shared ground loop installations.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of updating the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to include shared ground loop systems.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of shared ground loops on the decarbonisation of domestic heating; and if she will take steps to improve the design of heat network (a) zoning and (b) regulation to support these heat networks.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero during the debate on Consideration of Lords message on the Energy Bill [Lords] of 18 October 2023, Official Report, column 352, what her planned timetable is to consult on the barriers to community energy schemes.
Answered by Graham Stuart
We have been codesigning the consultation on the barriers to community energy schemes via the Community Energy Contact Group. We intend to publish the consultation as soon as possible.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether investment to support the manufacture of wind turbine jackets will be included in the Green Industries Growth Accelerator.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has committed £1.1 billion to the Green Industries Growth Accelerator to support the expansion of domestic green manufacturing capacity and strengthen clean energy supply chains. At Spring Budget, we announced provisional allocations of up to £390 million for offshore wind and networks, up to £390 million for carbon capture, utilisation and storage and hydrogen and up to £300m to support domestic production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for nuclear fuel.
The Government is conducting engagement with industry on the design of the Accelerator and more detail on eligibility and how to apply for funding will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many energy planning applications she has approved.
Answered by Graham Stuart
All decisions taken by the Secretary of State relating to energy planning applications for development consent are published on the Planning Inspectorates web-site and are publicly available. Since the Secretary of State's appointment in August 2023, a total of six decisions have been published and development consent was granted in all cases.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the reasons for change in the mean cost of heat pump installations through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
With the growth in heat pump demand encouraged by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in combination with the Clean Heat Market Mechanism, Government expects to see continued real terms cost reductions over time.
Government actively engages with installers and suppliers participating in the scheme, and will continue to monitor BUS scheme data, wider industry data, and use the outputs of the BUS evaluation programme to understand price trends.
Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's publication entitled UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published on 11 April 2023, what steps her Department is taking to implement the telecommunications capability required to maintain the resilience of the smart energy grid.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Ofcom are carrying out a review of the future communication needs of the utilities (electricity, gas, and water) that is due for publication in Q4 2023-2024. The Department will draw on the recommendations of that report and, if a spectrum solution is recommended, work with the Department for Science Innovation and Technology to assist industry partners in securing the relevant spectrum allocation.