Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to make it (a) easier and (b) cheaper for people who live in (i) listed buildings and (ii) conservation areas to make their homes more energy efficient.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The cross-government review of the barriers to adapt and retrofit listed buildings and homes in conservation areas (www.gov.uk/government/publications/adapting-historic-homes-for-energy-efficiency-a-review-of-the-barriers) was published in January 2024. This sets out the core challenges faced by homeowners and the actions government is taking to overcome barriers.
Changes to Permitted Development Rights in England, announced recently, will enable more air source heat pumps to be installed in homes, including those in conservation areas.
The Government has committed an initial £3.4bn over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency as part of the Warm Homes Plan. Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the delivery of floating offshore wind demonstration projects in the Celtic Sea.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working with industry to accelerate ways the Contracts for Difference scheme and other energy policies can be expanded to deliver the clean energy superpower mission. The Government recognises the important role that Test and Demonstration projects, including in the Celtic Sea, could play in securing learnings, developing infrastructure, and building sector confidence to enable cost-effective commercial scale floating offshore wind projects in future.
The Clean Industry Bonus further underscores the Government’s commitment to the technology, in particular the minimum budget to be set aside for investment in floating offshore wind supply chain to help drive investment into the sector.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what body is responsible for (a) coordination and (b) delivery of floating wind farms in the Celtic Sea.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Crown Estate’s Leasing Round 5 will bring forward up to 4.5GW of floating offshore wind capacity in the Celtic Sea in addition to the five Test and Demonstration projects currently in development.
The partnership between Great British Energy and The Crown Estate announced the potential to deploy up to a further 12GW of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, of which 4-10GW could be leased to developers by 2030.
The Government will work closely with developers and The Crown Estate to support the delivery of floating offshore wind projects across the UK, including in the Celtic Sea.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
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 an assessment of the potential merits of introducing incentives on the use of heat batteries similar to those on heat pumps.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Heat batteries are a promising electric heating technology, which can be charged off-peak to utilise cheaper electricity. However, they are less efficient than heat pumps and if a battery has insufficient storage capacity, it may need to draw electricity at peak times which can add to the burden on the electricity network. Consequently, policies like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, are currently focused on supporting heat pumps. However, my Department is exploring, through studies like the Homes for Net Zero trial, the role heat batteries could play in the future.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
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 an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to encourage rural off-grid households to switch to hydrogenated vegetable oil in heating.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government expects to prioritise its use in sectors like aviation, and potentially the small number of homes unsuitable for heat pumps, as these sectors have fewest options to decarbonise. The cost of renewable liquid heating fuels is currently much higher than other fuels available to off grid customers. Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of renewable liquid fuels, like hydrotreated vegetable oil, in heating, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstocks.