Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using non-fungible tokens in the issuing of North Sea licences.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The North Sea Transition Authority, the regulator and licensing body for oil and gas, offshore hydrogen and carbon storage, has made no such assessment.
Asked by: Andy Carter (Conservative - Warrington South)
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 is taking to support the development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technology.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are clear that CCUS is a priority for this Government, and we are progressing at pace. In March 2023 we announced up to £20 billion funding for early deployment of CCUS across all sectors, and in December we outlined how we will get to a competitive carbon capture market by 2035.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made a recent assessment of the efficacy of nuclear energy.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no credible pathway to net zero nor energy security without nuclear power. Nuclear complements intermittent technologies like wind and solar and reduce the risks created by the uncertainties of energy storage technologies. The Government’s Civil Nuclear Roadmap, published yesterday, sets out the case for nuclear and presents the Government’s long-term civil nuclear strategy to help deliver our ambition for up to 24GW of nuclear power by 2050.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make it her policy to require the National Grid Electricity System Operator to prioritise the use of battery storage instead of fossil fuel-based power.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Electricity System Operator (ESO) has responsibility for balancing supply and demand on the electricity system on a second by second basis, whilst minimising the cost for consumers.
The Government and Ofgem's 2021 Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan includes actions to open up markets and to remove barriers to participation for low-carbon flexibility such as battery storage. The Review of Electricity Market Arrangements programme is considering market reforms to drive a secure, cost-effective, low-carbon electricity system, including reform options to facilitate the deployment and operation of low-carbon flexible technologies such as battery storage.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will issue guidance to local authorities on the potential fire risks of battery energy storage sites in close proximity to (a) residential and (b) commercial buildings.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
In August of this year the Government updated its Planning Practice Guidance to encourage battery storage developers to engage with Local Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) before submitting a planning application, so that issues of the siting and location of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are dealt with before the application is made.
The guidance also encourages local planning authorities to refer to the guidance on BESS published by the National Fire Chiefs Council for consideration when determining applications and to consult with FRSs before issuing decisions.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has targets for large-scale long-duration electricity storage deployment by (a) 2030 and (b) 2050.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We recognise the important contribution large-scale long duration electricity storage can make to delivering a secure, low-carbon energy system in a cost-effective manner. As set out in Powering Up Britain and British Energy Security Strategy, we plan to put in place an appropriate policy framework for enabling investment by the end of 2024.
We do not have specific capacity targets for long duration electricity storage in 2030 or 2050. Other technologies could play equivalent roles but through the development of the policy framework, we will establish an approach for determining access to revenue support.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to page 7 of the Government's response to the call for evidence entitled Facilitating the deployment of large-scale and long-duration electricity storage, published in August 2022, what her planned timetable is for consulting on revenue support mechanisms for large-scale and long-duration electricity storage.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As outlined in the Powering Up Britain and British Energy Security Strategy, we plan to put in place an appropriate policy framework by the end of 2024 to enable investment in large scale long duration electricity storage. We anticipate publishing a consultation on the policy approach around the end of this year.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the North Sea Transition Authority for supporting the delivery of the UK’s climate targets.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The North Sea Transition Authority plays a crucial role in helping to achieve the Government's commitment to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050. Its Strategy reflects the ongoing energy transition and features a range of net zero obligations on the oil and gas industry, including stepping up efforts to reduce production emissions, supporting carbon capture and storage projects and unlocking clean hydrogen production.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding to support the development of the low-carbon cement sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State regularly discusses a range of issues with my Rt hon Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer. Carbon Capture Usage and Storage will be crucial for decarbonisation of industries, such as cement, which otherwise lack viable alternatives to achieve deep decarbonisation. CCUS and low carbon hydrogen are vital to transforming these sectors. In March, the Chancellor announced £20 billion investment in the early development of CCUS to help meet the Government’s climate commitments. The Government is taking forward the Hanson Padeswood Cement Works to proceed to negotiations for support under the Industrial Carbon Capture business model.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made an assessment of the (a) role and (b) limitations of carbon capture and storage in supporting broader efforts to decarbonise the construction sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Industrial carbon capture and storage use will play a crucial role in deep decarbonisation of heavy industries that would otherwise have no alternative to decarbonise, including in the construction sector. CCUS is the only viable solution for addressing process emissions, such as from cement production.
The Hanson Padeswood Cement Works and Buxton Lime Net Zero projects were selected as two of the eight projects to move to negotiations as part of our Track-1 Project Negotiation List.
The Department for Business and Trade is working with the construction sector through the Construction Leadership Council, with a key priority being net zero and biodiversity, to support decarbonisation in the sector.