Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with (a) Oxford City Council and (b) 1Energy on the Oxford Energy Network project; and what steps his Department is taking to help support (i) people and (ii) businesses to connect to the Oxford Energy Network in Oxford West and Abingdon constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department's Heat Networks Team is in regular dialogue with Oxford City Council about their role in Heat Network Zoning and the Oxford Energy Network project. We provided technical support through the early release of our National Zoning Model work and offer commercial support with best practice guidance and templates and signposting to similar Local Authorities. This aims to ensure the private-led heat network benefits Oxford's residents and businesses.
1Energy was awarded capital funding of over £21.956m from the Green Heat Network Fund for the Oxford City project. The fund is delivered by an external partner, Triple Point Heat Network Investment Management, who have regular contact with 1Energy on the progress of the project.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to provide financial support for (a) connection costs and (b) internal heat interface units for consumers connecting to low-carbon heat networks.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants to encourage property owners to replace existing fossil fuel heating with more efficient, low carbon heating systems. Heat pumps are the primary supported technology under the scheme. It does not provide financial support for the connection costs for connecting to heat networks or internal heat interface units.
Significant funding to develop new and existing low carbon heat networks across England is provided through the Green Heat Network Fund, which has announced over £506 million in grant awards to date. The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will provide further detail on the support available to help property owners transition to cleaner, low carbon heating.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 impact of low-carbon heat networks on (a) reducing (i) NOx emissions and (ii) particulate matter (PM2.5) in urban areas and (b) public health outcomes.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our assessment of the potential impact of low-carbon heat networks includes monetised air quality benefits based on Green Book (Table 15) fuel consumption standards[1]. Our published consultation stage Zoning Impact Assessment estimated the value of those benefits at between £50m and £270m (2020 prices, 2024 base year) over 40 years. This range includes the health benefits of both reduced NOx and reduced particulate matter.
We are working with Defra to ensure heat network zoning policy contributes to the UK’s wider air quality goals - supporting cleaner air and better public health.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/valuation-of-energy-use-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions-for-appraisal - Table 15
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how his Department plans to integrate the strategic deployment of heat networks capturing waste heat into the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes Plan will help households and businesses make the switch to clean heat and save money on their bills. Heat networks can offer low-cost, low-carbon heat, and reduce everyone’s bills by using surplus heat that would otherwise be wasted.
The Government is investing £13.2bn in the Warm Homes Plan over the Spending Review period (up to 2029/30). Further detail on the Warm Homes Plan, including deployment targets and funding to deliver heat network schemes, will be set out by October.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 using the Oxford Energy Network as a model for decarbonising heat in historic cities.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Oxford City heat network, which is being taken forward by 1Energy with support from the Green Heat Network Fund, aims to connect many of the city's historic buildings together. The Department will be monitoring the progress of the project, which is expected to provide many lessons for future heat network development in areas of significant built heritage.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many homes his Department has identified as requiring an upgrade from single-phase to triple-phase electricity supply, in the context of the criteria for being a zero-carbon household.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Department does not hold this data, however only a small minority of homes are likely to need an upgrade from a single to three-phase connection to accommodate multiple or higher-powered low carbon technologies.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new green businesses receive required utility connections in a timely manner.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the need for timely connections to the electricity network. The Government has worked at pace with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the energy regulator, Ofgem, to develop a new connections process where strategically important demand projects will receive the strongest possible non-financial government support to facilitate timely connections. Stalled projects will be removed from the queue to prioritise projects which are vital for economic growth and the acceleration of transmission infrastructure.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 with the Secretary of State for Transport to ensure green energy projects have access to CO2 storage.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The recent final investment decisions with the East Coast Cluster and Liverpool Bay CCS are the first steps in unlocking necessary CO2 storage requirements needed to deliver our carbon budgets.
The Department continues to work with key regulatory and industry partners so that the capacity needed to store CO2 is accessible to green energy projects, such as cement decarbonisation or sustainable aviation fuels.
The Government also recognises that non-pipeline methods of CO2 transportation (for example, road, rail, barge and ship) will be required where it is not feasible to connect to a store via pipeline.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that rural communities benefit from hosting ground-mounted solar farm infrastructure on agricultural land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ensuring that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, such as solar farms, they directly benefit from it. The relaunched Solar Taskforce, which will set out how Government and industry can radically increase the level of solar deployment required by 2030, is considering how best to ensure that communities receive appropriate benefits. Its recommendations will be made in a Solar Roadmap, due to be published shortly.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 it his policy to require all car parks with more than 80 spaces to install solar canopies over at least half the area they cover.
Answered by Graham Stuart
I refer the hon Member to the reply I gave on 14 June 2023 to my hon Friend the Member for North East Hampshire (Ranil Jayawardena) to Question UIN 188072.
The Government is looking to facilitate and promote extensive deployment of rooftop solar on industrial and commercial property in order to make maximum usage of available surfaces for business as well as environmental and climate benefits.
The Government will consider how else to extend deployment further, including with solar car parks.