Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with his Northern Irish counterpart on the new solar farm installed at Hydebank Prison.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ officials meet regularly with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to discuss matters relating to renewables, including solar. Solar energy is at the heart of our Clean Energy mission and solar farms, alongside rooftop installations, will play an important part in helping to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030. Government is keen to lead by example in decarbonising its estate and as set out in the Clean Power Action plan, published in December 2024, Great British Energy will also promote renewables on public estates, unlocking additional scope for generation capacity on government-owned land. Great British Energy will seek to work with government landowners who will host generation assets and provide power directly to public buildings, in addition to connecting into the grid.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 community energy projects on local employment.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the important role community energy projects play in many different areas, including tackling climate change and providing local employment opportunities.
Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan will provide funding and support to community energy groups to roll out renewable energy projects and develop up to 8 GW of cleaner power. It will increase capacity and capability to build a pipeline of successful projects in local areas and aims to expand community energy projects by helping to crowd-in investment, creating skilled jobs and changing communities for the better.
Great British Energy will benefit all four nations of our United Kingdom whilst respecting the devolution settlements.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what information his Department holds on the number of (a) gas boilers, (b) oil boilers, (c) heat pumps and (d) biofuel boilers there were in 2023; and if he will make an estimate of the number of each there will be in 2030.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department only collects data on installations under Government Energy Efficiency schemes and does not hold data on privately installed heating systems. The latest heat pump deployment figures can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/heat-pump-deployment-statistics-september-2024.
Measures installed under the ECO scheme, the Home Upgrade Grant and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund can be found here:
Gas boilers will continue to play a role for at least the next decade as we transition to low carbon heating technologies, where departmental analysis shows that heat pumps and heat networks will have a major role to play.
Where heat pumps may not be feasible in some off-grid properties we have commissioned a package of research to collect data on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes, including the use of alternative low carbon heating solutions with results expected in 2025.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate the Government has made of the number of green jobs created by the (a) production and (b) uptake of renewable liquid gases.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Established within DESNZ , The Office for Clean Energy Jobs will focus on developing a skilled workforce in core energy and net zero sectors, critical to meeting our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower. Our Mission to make the UK a Clean Energy Superpower will create hundreds of thousands of jobs and opportunities across the UK.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 (a) onshore and (b) offshore windfarms in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the end of 2023 there were (a) 9,627 onshore and (b) 48 offshore wind sites in the UK.
Source: Regional Renewable Statistics
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps to help domestic energy customers to (a) reinsulate their homes and (b) replace their boilers.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. We will set out full details in due course.
Targeted schemes currently in place to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income and fuel poor households include the Energy Company Obligation and the Great British Insulation Scheme. The Boiler Upgrade scheme offers grant support to consumers wishing to replace their fossil fuel heating system.
We have also announced a new Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, with delivery expected in 2025. Support will be targeted at low-income homeowners, social housing and private tenants in England with energy performance upgrades and cleaner heating.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 implications for his policies of the level of methane emissions in (a) 2010 and (b) 2024; and what steps he is taking to reduce those emissions to help the UK meet its 2030 net zero targets.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK has committed to the fastest reduction in GHG emissions between 1990 and 2030 of any major economy. Between 1990 and 2022, UK methane emissions dropped by 62%. As part of the Clean Energy Superpower Mission, we are leading the way towards rapid national and global action to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, including methane, and are taking domestic action across the waste, agriculture and energy sectors.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on steps to increase awareness among young people of potential education and training opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department understands that more needs to be done to improve awareness and promote opportunities for young people in the clean energy sector, as these jobs can offer secure, well-paid careers. We are working closely with the Department for Education, Skills England, as well as industry and Trade Unions, to explore what can be done to improve this to encourage the uptake of skills and training provisions on offer for young people.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with his Northern Ireland counterpart on strengthening the grid in the North West and Mid Tyrone under the Transmission Development Plan 2023-2032.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy policy is a transferred matter to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive. DESNZ holds regular discussions with NI Executive on broader energy matters, including through our Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-ministerial Group, which last met on 17th October.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with regulators on potential changes in the level of energy prices.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Energy Price Cap is set by Ofgem and there are different costs included in the price cap, such as the wholesale cost of energy. Any changes to these costs will affect how much the price cap will be each time it is reviewed.
As such, the Government believes the only way to protect consumers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy and reduce our reliance on volatile international fossil fuel markets.