DESNZ monthly newsletter🗞️

Highlights:

🌍 Built in Britain: Government publishes its Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan.

⚡A system that puts working people first: Decision on REMA announced.

🍃 Onshore wind revolution: Onshore wind plan launched to reverse sector stagnation.

🧰 Industrial renewal: CCUS projects in Aberdeenshire and the Humber backed.

👩🏻🏭 Nuclear golden age: Jobs boost with multi-billion-pound investment in Sizewell C.

⚛️ Ready to Roll(s): Rolls-Royce SMR to build small modular nuclear reactors.

☀️ Bring on solar: Homeowners could save hundreds on energy bills from solar drive.

🏭 Hydrogen hype: £500m boost for hydrogen to create thousands of British jobs.

🌊 Wind to wages: Great British Energy lands deal to deliver offshore wind jobs.

🏠 Warmer homes: Millions more families to get £150 off energy bills this winter.

📰 Plus: other news and your views wanted.

Build it in Britain: 🌍

Powering the world: Government publishes its Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan as part of the Industrial Strategy to ensure the clean energy revolution is built in Britain.

Building on our strengths: This landmark plan will take advantage of Britain’s strengths as a coastal nation and scientific superpower to build this new era of clean energy abundance, deliver good jobs and energy security.

Investing in supply chains: As part of the plan, Great British Energy will have an additional £700 million to help build manufacturing facilities here at home for key components for the clean power revolution like floating offshore platforms, electric cables, and cutting-edge hydrogen infrastructure.

Slashing industrial electricity bills: It comes as more than 7,000 British businesses are set to see their electricity bills slashed by up to 25% from 2027, as the Government unveils its bold new Industrial Strategy.

Ministerial angle: “This government is doubling down on Britain’s clean power strengths as we build this new era of clean energy abundance, helping deliver good jobs, energy security and lower household bills” said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

A system that puts working people first: ⚡

Fairer: Government puts fairness and affordability at the centre of electricity market reform to deliver system that puts working people first.

Cheaper: Government takes decision to reform the existing national pricing system rather than split the country into different zones.

More Secure: Reforms will protect consumers and secure investment as government drives to deliver clean power mission, protecting families through Plan for Change.

Ministerial angle: “Building clean power at pace and scale is the only way to get Britain off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets and protect families and businesses for good” said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.   

Onshore wind revolution: 🍃

It's a big deal: The amount of clean, homegrown energy from onshore wind is set to accelerate over the second half of the decade as the government launches the first ever onshore wind strategy.

Jobs boost: Thousands of new jobs for British people in onshore wind, such as engineering, construction, and operations maintenance, could be created by 2030 to build the onshore wind needed to deliver clean power for families and businesses.

Stagnation no more: After facing a de-facto 9-year ban in England,  the strategy sets out over 40 radical actions to get onshore wind building again across the UK.

Taskforce’s take: “This strategy is focusing on overcoming barriers...while capturing the major socio-economic benefits it can bring to the environment and to local economies” said co-chair of the Onshore Wind Taskforce and CEO of EDF Power Solutions UK and Ireland Matthieu Hue.

Industrial renewal: 🧰

What’s been announced? Workers in the North Sea and Britain’s manufacturing heartlands will drive forward the country’s industrial renewal, as two major carbon capture projects in Aberdeenshire and the Humber receive funding to progress as part of Spending Review.

Tell me more: Once Acorn and Viking are operational, combined, they could remove up to 18 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere per year. As well as capturing emissions, carbon capture can also be used to generate low-carbon power, as well as enabling hydrogen power.

Capturing carbon, curating careers: Industry expects at peak construction Acorn to support approximately 15,000 jobs and Viking to support 20,000 jobs, including 1,000 apprenticeships.

Stamp of approval: “These projects will provide the pathway to support the decarbonisation of UK industries and are critical to the governments clean power objectives” said Offshore Energies UK CEO David Whitehouse.

Nuclear Golden Age: 👩🏻🏭

Nuclear Power, job shower: 10,000 jobs, including 1,500 apprenticeships, will be created as the government announces a £14.2 billion investment to build Sizewell C nuclear plant as part of the Spending Review, ending years of delay and uncertainty.

Nuclear golden age: The equivalent of around six million of today’s homes will be powered with clean homegrown energy from Sizewell C – driving energy security, as part of the government’s mission to protect family finances by replacing the UK’s dependency on fossil fuel markets with homegrown power we control.

Union backed: Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy said, “delivering this funding for Sizewell C is a vital step forward” while GMB Regional Secretary Warren Kenny said “without new nuclear there can be no net zero”.

Ready to Roll(s): ⚛️

Let the good times Roll(s): New era for nuclear power as Rolls-Royce SMR selected as preferred bidder to build country’s first small modular reactors, following rigorous two-year competition.

Did we mention we’re entering a golden age of nuclear? Project could support up to 3,000 jobs at peak construction and power the equivalent of around three million of today’s homes as part of government’s Plan for Change to make the UK a clean energy superpower.

Here’s what comes next: The biggest nuclear rollout for a generation will support the clean power mission – boosting energy security and protecting families’ finances. Great British Energy - Nuclear is aiming to sign contracts with Rolls-Royce SMR later this year and will form a development company.

Bring on Solar: ☀️

Yellow brick road: The Solar Roadmap launched to rapidly accelerate the roll out of solar, helping drive down bills, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and powering economic growth with clean energy.

Shout it from the rooftops: This follows recent confirmation from government that new build homes will have solar panels through proposed changes in the Future Homes Standard – unleashing a rooftop revolution and saving families around £500 a year on their energy bills.

What says Octopus Energy? “People deserve lower energy bills, and adding solar panels to a house as it’s built is an incredibly effective way to slash costs from day one... we’re delighted to see the Future Homes Standard enable house builders to now build the homes of the future” said Octopus Energy Zero Bills Director Nigel Banks.

Hydrogen Hype: 🏭

Drum roll please: Government confirms over £500 million for first regional hydrogen transport and storage network to unlock growth and drive investment in Britain’s renewal.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: Secures thousands of jobs boosting industrial heartlands as part of the government’s Plan for Change – building on the 4,000 jobs already set to be created in CCUS projects in the North West and Teesside.

Industry approved: “This announcement is a key piece of the puzzle and represents very welcome government support to galvanise the UK’s regional hydrogen hubs” said Dr Emma Guthrie, CEO of the Hydrogen Energy Association.

Wind to Wages: 🌊

Blowing in the right direction: Britain’s workers and industries supported as Energy Secretary and Great British Energy announce a major public-private deal to drive investment into offshore wind jobs. It comes as Clean Industry Bonus allocations are confirmed.

Billion-Pound Venture sets sail: Great British Energy’s initial investment of £300 million to catalyse a further £700 million from industry and The Crown Estate, taking the total pot to £1 billion as part of the Industrial Strategy.

The opportunity? “A concerted focus from industry and government on growing the offshore wind industry’s supply chain in the UK could deliver an extra 10,000 jobs between now and 2035, boosting the UK’s economy by £25 billion” said RenewableUK Deputy Chief Executive Jane Cooper.

Warmer Homes: 🏠

Money in pockets: 2.7 million extra households will receive £150 off their energy bills next winter as the Warm Home Discount is expanded – putting money directly into people’s pockets.

How many pockets? This increases the number of households who are eligible to over 6 million in total – including 900,000 families with children and a total of 1.8 million households in fuel poverty.

Warm words: “We welcome the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, which will help ease pressure on millions of households this winter. Targeted support like this is exactly what’s needed to ensure energy is affordable for those who need it most” said E.ON CEO Chris Norbury.

Other news: 📰

Upgrading national grid to power AI future to be tackled at AI Energy Council (30 June).

Thousands more to get the tools they need to start construction careers (26 June).

Plans for UK to become sustainable finance capital of the world (25 June).

Fusion energy powers UK’s Industrial Strategy (23 June).

Delivering an energy market that works for consumers (19 June).

Government steps in to protect consumers with old energy meters (19 June).

New guidance issued for environmental impact assessments (19 June).

Ten British AI breakthroughs set to cut bills and heat homes more efficiently (11 June).

Energy Minister asks NDA to explore clean energy at Moorside (10 June).

First schools install Great British Energy solar panels (3 June).

Britain’s hospitality sector to save £3 million under new scheme (3 June).

Your views wanted: 📥

Climate-related transition plan requirements (closes 11:59pm on 17 September 2025).

Growing the market for low carbon industrial products: policy framework (closes 11:59pm on 15 September 2025).

Improving the Energy Efficiency of Socially Rented Homes in England (closes 11:45pm on 10 September 2025).

Assessment and rating of wind turbine noise guidance: proposed updates (closes 11:59pm on 29 August 2025).

Voluntary carbon and nature markets: raising integrity (closes 11:59pm on 10 July 2025)