From nuclear to heat pumps: What’s included in the UK’s new Energy Act

(edie.net, 26 Oct 2023) The UK Government has received Royal Assent for the Energy Act and says measures included could leverage £100bn of private investment in the sector. Here, we outline the key inclusions in the Act.

Following on from the British Energy Security Strategy in April 2022, which significantly increased targets for deploying offshore wind, blue and green hydrogen and nuclear, then Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng introduced a new Energy Security Bill designed to enact many of the changes necessary to deliver the Strategy.

Following the resignations of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss as Prime Minister, the Bill was hauled in for review and an updated version – simply called the Energy Bill or Energy Act – was set out in December 2022.

The following months have included much back-and-forth between Lords and MPs about whether parts of the Act could be strengthened. Debates have included whether the UK should have an outright ban on new coal mines and whether the North Sea oil and gas sector should be mandated to reduce gas flaring more rapidly.

The Government ultimately rejected both of those interventions.

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edie.net, 26 Oct 2023: From nuclear to heat pumps: What’s included in the UK’s new Energy Act