Energy supply chain agrees need for stable and clear energy policy

Industry leaders from the energy system supply chain came together to discuss the opportunities for growth in UK low carbon technology development and current challenges in delivering progress at BEAMA’s annual lunch event.

All agreed that there were unprecedented opportunities identified for growth, but serious issues remain. If the transition is managed with full cross industry input, integrating private finance, and clear government policy then pipelines of investment can be opened with the resilience of the UK energy supply chain improved.  

The event, which coincided with the announcement of the Prime Minister’s resignation, featured a speech from Shadow Energy Minister Alan Whitehead MP. During his speech he stated ‘if the Energy Bill does not go through the house quickly, we will delay progress by a number of years. We need to get the Energy Bill back on track’.

David Joffe, Head of Carbon Budgets at the Climate Change Committee outlined in his keynote address the need to ‘unblock the politics on the delivery of a national mission on energy efficiency’. 

The supply chain needs policy certainty and a clear regulatory framework to ensure inward investment.  The scale of ramp up needed and pace of infrastructure deployment to tackle the current energy crisis and ensure we meet Carbon Budget 6 is unprecedented, and the collaboration presented at the BEAMA annual event is exactly what is needed to progress the UK market.  

BEAMA members and key stakeholders gave the following statements: 

Laura Fleming, CEO for Hitachi Energy in the UK and Ireland, said: “Electricity is the backbone of a net zero energy system, so it essential to make the grid ready for the energy transition. Indeed, there can be no energy transition without a flexible, secure, digital, and resilient grid. After a long period of under investment, we must invest at pace in a transmission system with the capacity to integrate a greater volume of renewables and able to accommodate increased electrification of transport and heating. Finally, we must also continue to build local supply chains which can deliver the scale of developments required to achieve net zero power by 2035.”

Toddington Harper, GRIDSERVE CEO, said: “Delivering Net Zero is the growth opportunity of our era. Green growth will deliver energy security, lower cost energy, and protection of our planet all at the same time. The economics are also now firmly on the side of solar energy, battery storage, and electric vehicles, so it’s time to be bold, to seize the day, look up, and deliver”

Richard Halsey, Capabilities Director, Energy Systems Catapult said: “The energy transition has never been more critical. Both to our energy security and aspirations for growth. Our supply chains are key to delivering this and creating a smarter, cleaner future with green jobs and prosperity that builds a springboard for global competitiveness and national economic advantage.”

Dr Howard Porter CEO of BEAMA, who chaired the event, remarked: “Today we had almost complete agreement on the measures needed to take forward the electrical industry to meet not zero targets. We all remain open to work with any Government to start the process of investment and change. All agreed that a clear and distinct policy of support for investment and in net zero with full industry support, would deliver the grow in our economy that is needed, deliver on high quality jobs and reduce customers’ bills.”