Shapps will lead drive to slash Britain’s energy use by 15 per cent
HOUSEHOLDS and businesses will be pushed to slash their energy use by 15 per cent by the newly created Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Rishi Sunak has made the target, to be achieved by 2030, one of the six pri- orities of the department, established in Tuesday’s Whitehall shake-up.
The signal of intent could translate into more advertising campaigns urging Britons to turn down their boilers or switch off radiators in empty rooms.
It may also mean more Treasury support for improving insulation in homes and offices – an area in which Mr Sunak showed some reluctance as chancellor, according to sources at the time.
A further £24million of taxpayer money has been announced to encourage innovation in green technologies to bring down the UK’S carbon footprint.
Robots inspecting offshore wind turbines and a new approach to decommissioning oil wells are two of the projects which have won financial backing from the drive in the past.
Grant Shapps, now the first Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, said: “The UK is a nation of innovators, and this funding will help the next genera- tion of energy pioneers develop cheap and green technologies of the future.
“This will not only deliver more green jobs and cheaper energy but also create world-leading solutions to help us reach net zero and economic growth.”
The ambition to reduce the UK’S energy consumption by 15 per cent by 2030 was announced in Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement in November.
Little has been spelled out about how it will be achieved, but hitting the target – part of the UK’S push to become a “net zero” carbon emitter by 2050 – would require a significant change in habits.
Mr Shapps, this winter, has been fronting an advertising campaign encouraging people to turn down the flow temperature of their boiler to 60C, among other measures.
The messaging drive has been dubbed “It All Adds Up” and points out that financial savings can be the result of adopting the small changes.
One of the six priorities for the new department listed in a government document is described as: “Improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, businesses and public-sector buildings to meet the 15 per cent demand reduction ambition.”
The new department’s mission was also outlined: “The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will provide dedicated leadership focused on delivering security of energy supply, ensuring properly functioning markets, greater energy efficiency and seizing the opportunities of net zero to lead the world in new green industries.
“This year, the department will focus on easing the cost of living and delivering financial security by bringing down energy bills and keeping them down – better insulating consumers from external impacts.
“Longer term objectives include ensuring properly functioning energy markets; coordinating net-zero objectives across government; and bringing external delivery expertise to bear on its portfolio of major projects.
“The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is focused on the energy portfolio from the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.”