The week that was (w/c 3 June)
The week commencing 3 June was another busy one on the policy front. Rumours were rife that Theresa May intended to bring forward draft legislation before standing down as PM to implement a net zero target by 2050. The main push-back came from Chancellor Philip Hammond on grounds this would create an addition £1trillion burden on the economy over the existing 80% target.
Also last week, the Chancellor set out more detailed plans for the government’s Future Homes Standard. The Commons Treasury committee kicked off a new inquiry into the decarbonisation of the economy and green finance. And BEIS committee chair Rachel Reeves wrote to interim BEIS minister Chris Skidmore expressing concerns over the policy landscape for small renewables generators, especially the absence of any guaranteed route to market for small generators and the Treasury’s proposals to increase VAT rates.
Some of us scratched our heads by the statement that did issue from Chris Skidmore last Thursday about the government’s intention to roll forward a fifth of the undershoot against the second carbon budget into future budget periods. This elicited a protest letter from two select committee chairs, as well as Lord Deben at the Climate Change Committee.
Meanwhile the record coal-free run enjoyed by GB came to an end on Tuesday, after 18 days and six hours.
Down your way
Here at New Anglia Energy, we confirmed the formal launch date for our Greater Norwich Smart Energy Community project with a meeting and reception on 3 July. We will be posting details on this project shortly.
To mark World Environment Day on Thursday local business energy efficiency advocate BEE Anglia announced it had agreed continued funding until 2022.
New Anglia LEP has also firmed up a seminar for 18 July on clean energy and green growth and its preparations to develop a local industrial strategy at the Orbis Centre in Lowestoft. Details are here.
