Labour plans to establish Great British Energy, a public company to invest in clean, home-grown energy production.

Labour has announced plans to establish a new publicly-owned company, Great British Energy, as part of its manifesto released today.

The company aims to drive investment in clean, home-grown energy production and will be owned by the British public.

Great British Energy will collaborate with industry and trade unions to invest in leading technologies and support capital-intensive projects.

The new company will partner with energy companies, local authorities and co-operatives to install numerous clean power projects, including onshore wind, solar and hydropower.

Communities will be invited to propose projects, with local leaders and devolved governments ensuring the benefits of this energy production reach local people.

To support this initiative, Labour has committed £8.3 billion over the next parliament.

The company is expected to create jobs and build supply chains throughout the UK, with Scotland serving as the headquarters for this clean energy mission.

Labour has also outlined its commitment to achieving a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030 in its latest manifesto.

The party aims to lower bills and enhance energy security through a series of initiatives.

The manifesto details plans to upgrade the national transmission infrastructure to support clean power generation and industrial electrification.

Labour also intends to strengthen the energy regulator to improve customer service and attract investment in bill reduction.

Labour plans to double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind by 2030.

The party aims to ensure long term energy storage and maintain a strategic reserve of gas power stations to guarantee security.

As part of the Warm Homes Plan, Labour will invest £6.6 billion to upgrade five million homes with insulation and other improvements to reduce bills.

The manifesto also includes measures to ensure private rented homes meet minimum energy efficiency standards by 2030.

More than half of small business owners are concerned about rising energy costs over the next five years, according to a new survey.

A recent survey conducted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) highlights significant concerns among small business owners regarding energy costs in the lead-up to the general election.

More than half (53%) of respondents expressed worries about rising energy costs over the next five years.

The survey, which included 1,341 small business owners, also revealed that while 96% plan to vote, over half have not yet made a final decision on their choice.

Taxation and operational expenses are major factors influencing their decisions.

The survey found that 90% of small business owners are concerned about potential tax increases under the next government and 92% are worried about the costs and risks associated with employing people.

Germany, Great Britain, the Ireland I-SEM and Poland lead in Europe’s renewables co-location markets, according to new research.

Germany, Britain, Ireland‘s I-SEM and Poland are recognised as top markets for integrating renewable energy sources (RES) with battery storage systems across Europe.

That’s according to Aurora Energy Research’s report, which anticipates an increase of 421GW in intermittent RES capacity by 2030, posing challenges such as price cannibalisation and curtailment risks.

Countries like Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and the Ireland I-SEM are particularly affected, prompting a surge in co-location strategies to mitigate these issues.

Analysts note that Germany offers lucrative revenue opportunities through revenue stacking and minimal grid fees, despite recent hurdles in innovation auctions.

Great Britain benefits from favourable regulations facilitating access to multiple markets and expedited grid connections.

The Ireland I-SEM addresses high curtailment risks with legislation enabling swift grid access for co-located projects, while Poland supports co-location with subsidies and access to long-term capacity market contracts.

However, the report underscores regulatory disparities across EU markets, with many lacking specific co-location policies.

Germany’s stringent requirements in innovation auctions hinder battery asset commercial viability, contrasting with Spain’s efforts to boost battery energy storage targets under its draft National Energy and Climate Plan.

The report identifies Poland, Hungary, Ireland I-SEM, Britain and France as having the most robust policy frameworks, supporting diverse revenue streams and grid benefits for co-located projects.

Nearly 80% of business owners aim to cut emissions, but lack of support – especially financial – is hindering progress, according to a new report.

Small businesses call for the next government to take a leading role in promoting sustainable practices among small enterprises.

According to a report by Small Business Britain these businesses, which collectively contribute nearly half of the UK’s business emissions, express a strong desire to reduce their environmental footprint.

However, many cite inadequate support as a major barrier, with financial constraints highlighted as particularly challenging.

The report, conducted in collaboration with BT and based on a survey of over 2,000 business owners, underscores that 80% of respondents are committed to lowering their emissions.

Despite this willingness, less than 2% of them feel equipped with sufficient resources for sustainability efforts.

Nearly 65% of them express a need for greater governmental support to facilitate their transition towards sustainability.

Interestingly, only 10% of small businesses base their sustainability decisions primarily on government policies aimed at achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Instead, personal values, customer expectations and supply chain demands are cited as more influential factors.

Moreover, nearly 27% of respondents indicate that current government net zero commitments have no discernible impact on their sustainability strategies.

Michelle Ovens, Founder of Small Business Britain, said: “There is a clear opportunity for the next government to take the lead in driving a positive shift towards greener growth – through greater clarity, connection, and engagement with small businesses.

“Not only can small firms make a major impact on reducing emissions, but entrepreneurs have a hugely exciting role to play in driving sustainable innovations.”

In this week’s Net Hero Podcast we spoke to Matteo Deidda, Supply Chains Senior Sustainability Officer at Lloyds Banking Group told us that collaboration and communication are key for net zero.

Financial institutions are at the core of the transition to a greener future.

This is what Matteo Deidda, Supply Chains Senior Sustainability Manager at Lloyds Banking Group told us in this week’s Big Zero Briefing episode of the Net Zero Podcast.

‘At Lloyds, we don’t ask our suppliers to do anything that we’re not doing ourselves. The starting point is often the easy one, like installing LED lighting and working towards energy efficiency.

‘And we help guide our suppliers that are just starting out on understanding what the goal may be and how to get there.’

Matteo told us that suppliers should also collaborate with other suppliers to share ideas.

‘Every supplier has got their own challenges but people and organisations usually want to do the right thing. And at times there might be blockers as to why they cannot do it such as the cost, lack of knowledge or they might not know where to look.

‘So we encourage them to share what they’re doing amongst themselves and talk about how they can help each other. As an organisation, we’re really trying to create that sense of a common journey between all our suppliers.

‘And we’re not just asking them to achieve all this stuff, we’re really there to understand what they’re doing, what are they planning and how we can help them.

‘I think that especially when it comes to Scope 3 emissions, everyone is trying to understand what is the best way forward is. Nobody has all the answers and when someone asks, where do I start? I would say just start somewhere.’

Watch the full episode below and if make sure you register for the Big Zero Show before tickets run out!

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The UK Government plans to implement a new consumer-facing Code of Practice for smart metering.

The UK Government has announced plans to introduce a new consumer-facing Code of Practice for smart metering, aimed at enhancing consumer protections and improving service quality.

The government expects all energy suppliers to commit to and comply with the new Code once it is developed, aiming to provide consumers with greater confidence and satisfaction in their smart metering services.

The proposed Code of Practice is intended to promote industry-wide adoption of best practices, establishing clear expectations and ensuring a proactive and consistently positive consumer experience with smart metering.

This includes improved post-installation support and quicker resolution of any consumer issues with their smart metering systems.

Smart meters, which allow households across Britain to better manage their energy use, have been shown to save families around £40 annually on energy bills.

They also enable access to cheaper energy tariffs, potentially offering additional savings of up to £900 per year for those who charge electric vehicles during off-peak hours.

Moreover, smart meters in pre-payment mode can be conveniently topped up from home, and users can easily monitor their energy balance.

The recent surge in the price of REGOs has prompted the question “Are REGOs still worth buying?”

Some organisations have been asking whether the fact that the UK fuel mix is growing ever-more renewable is enough to make sustainability claims – without the expense of buying REGOs. There’s a school of thought that suggests they’ll automatically be using a higher percentage of renewable power, whatever contract they’re on. And that this should enable them to report lower Scope 2 emissions without needing the proof REGOs provide.

The truth, however, is that corporates and consumers are increasingly expecting their suppliers to evidence sustainability credentials. And asking whether suppliers source renewable energy – one of the simplest steps an organisation can take – is often the first question they’ll pose.

Assessing the alternatives

REGOs offer decarbonisation accessibility for organisations of all sizes. However, if businesses decide not to invest in them, what could they do with the savings? And would these alternatives enable them to make sustainability claims in the same way that buying REGOs would?

Find out more.