Business Secretary can’t commit to lower energy costs in industrial strategy May 14, 2025 Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds was unable to confirm whether the government’s upcoming industrial strategy will include a roadmap to lower industrial energy costs and help for businesses wrestling with high prices. Reynolds faced questions from MPs on the Business and Trade committee yesterday over whether he could guarantee lower costs for industry. He told the [...]
Grid connection for clean energy firms to be fast-tracked, ministers say April 15, 2025 Grid connections for businesses delivering clean energy are to be prioritised, ministers have said. The government has said so-called ‘zombie projects’ which hold up the queue for National Grid connectivity are set to be axed from the waiting list. While industries including data centres and AI, wind energy and solar projects will be accelerated for [...]
Households close to pylons to get £250 off annual energy bills March 10, 2025 Households situated near new pylons will receive hundreds of pounds off their annual energy bills as part of a government overhaul of the UK’s planning system. Proposals laid out this week will see residents within half a kilometre of new or upgraded electricty systems gain access to a bill discount scheme allowing them £2,500 off [...]
Reform UK call for windfall tax on renewable energy in anti-net zero push February 12, 2025 Reform UK has said they would introduce a windfall tax on renewable energy as they announced they were “serving notice” on the industry. The party has detailed a set of “policies to undo the effects of net zero”, in the wake of a series of polls and voting intention surveys that saw it beat Labour [...]
‘Unproven’ green tech to have significant impact on energy bills, MPs warn February 7, 2025 Government investment into “unproven” carbon capture schemes is set to have a “very significant effect” on households’ energy bills, an influential group of MPs is warning. Ministers have backed investment into carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) schemes in a bid to achieve the UK’s legally mandated climate goals, including net zero by 2050. But [...]
Landlords granted reprieve by Labour as energy efficiency timeline extended February 7, 2025 The government has officially extended the deadline for landlords to tighten energy requirements in the privately rented sector by two years to 2030. As of 2030, all private landlords will be required to meet a higher standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C or equivalent in their properties – up from the current level of EPC E. [...]
Cut taxes for BP and Shell to protect UK from Trump’s trade war, Rachel Reeves told February 6, 2025 Oil giants such as BP and Shell who operate in the North Sea should be given huge tax breaks to help protect the UK against Donald Trump’s burgeoning trade war, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been told. Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce is calling on the UK government to reduce the 78 per cent tax [...]
Octopus Energy: Profit slashed as Greg Jackson’s giant battles rising costs February 4, 2025 Profit has been slashed at Octopus Energy as rising costs and falling sales ate into its margin during the giant’s latest financial year. For the 12 months to 30 April, 2024, the group reported a net profit of £83m, down from the £203m it posted in the prior year. Its revenue also dipped from £12.54bn [...]
Shell to post lower 2024 profit after year of faltering oil demand January 26, 2025 Shell is expected to post lower annual profit than the previous year next week, after the energy giant was hit by weak oil prices and faltering demand for the fossil fuel. The London-listed company is scheduled to announce its financial results for the calendar year 2024 on Thursday. Analysts have forecast that it will post [...]
Utilita Energy profit to fall as sales slashed by £700m January 3, 2025 The owner of Utilita Energy has warned its profit will fall because of an “increasing obligation to support customers with higher bills”. Luxion Group, which owns the Eastleigh-based supplier, added that its resources “continue to be stretched” despite its pre-tax profit increasing from £31.2m to £43m in the year to 31 March, 2024. Utilita Energy [...]