Responding to the Government's Energy Security Plan today, Director of the Conservative Environment Network Sam Hall commented:
"Today’s announcements reinforce the environmental, economic, and political imperatives for this Conservative Government to lead the way on tackling climate change. Following yet more warnings about the urgency of climate action and the bold moves by the USA and EU to attract green investment, the global race to net zero has tightened.
"The measures will make the UK more energy secure and extend our head-start in developing the industries of the future. While there remains much more to do, particularly to unlock cheap wind power and scale up nature-based solutions, it is welcome to see the government accelerating the UK’s progress towards net zero."
CEN MP Nick Fletcher commented:
“Accelerating the transition to electric vehicles will save motorists money and cut pollution. But the Government needs to make sure EVs are affordable and infrastructure is available for charging them.
“Today’s proposals for a ZEV mandate will ramp up supply of EVs on the market, helping to bring down the sticker price and create a large domestic market to encourage manufacturers to invest in EV production here in Britain.”
CEN MP Cherilyn Mackrory commented:
“Improved energy efficiency cuts household bills, emissions, and imports of expensive fossil fuels, while creating warmer, more comfortable homes. In constituencies like mine fuel poverty is a major challenge and support for improvements like insulation can make a real difference to households.
“That’s why it’s very welcome to see the government today making further announcements to cut energy waste across our housing stock, including a new grant scheme for owner occupiers to install low-cost insulation measures.”
CEN MP Anthony Browne commented:
“Heat pumps are an energy efficient and sustainable way to heat our homes. While upfront costs are a barrier to uptake at the moment, industry is already slashing heat pump prices. More support is needed to help consumers make the switch and to grow the market.
“Today’s steps to rebalance the distorting policy costs off electricity bills on to gas bills will make heat pumps cheaper to run. The funding to attract manufacturers of heat pumps to the UK and to innovate to bring down costs will maximise the economic benefits of the heat pump rollout for the UK.”
CEN MP Jerome Mayhew commented:
"Applying a cost to carbon helps the free market find cheaper, lower carbon alternatives. But for this to work there needs to be a level playing field between UK businesses and those overseas. I am delighted that the government is consulting on a carbon border tax which will provide that level playing field, ensuring that all products in our market start to respond to the costs of their emissions."
CEN MP Selaine Saxby commented:
“Homegrown renewables will be the mainstay of our future energy supply, giving us greater energy security, lower emissions, and cheaper bills. Confirmation of funding to upgrade our ports will enable the rollout of floating offshore wind in the North and Celtic Seas, while new planning guidance will speed up approval of new renewables projects.
“I hope the government will go further by expanding the size of this year’s Contracts for Difference auction so that more renewables projects can be commissioned. This is particularly important for floating offshore wind, which is a brilliant opportunity to develop a new British industry.”
CEN MP Simon Clarke commented:
“As Teesside shows, net zero can bring investment, jobs, and growth to our industrial heartlands and help level up economic opportunity across the UK. But with global competition for green investment intensifying, the UK has to become even more attractive to stay ahead.
“That’s why it is very welcome that the government has announced new measures to strengthen our net zero strategy, from allocating hydrogen and carbon capture funding, to speeding up new grid infrastructure. While there is always more to do - particularly lifting the de facto block on onshore wind in England - these are positive steps to keep the UK at the forefront of the green industrial revolution.”
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