Powering up Britain

This paper sets out how the government will enhance our country’s energy security, seize the economic opportunities of the transition, and deliver on our net zero commitments. To meet this ambition, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will deliver: 1. Energy security: setting the UK on a path to greater energy independence. 2. Consumer security: bringing bills down, and keeping them affordable, and making wholesale electricity prices among the cheapest in Europe. 3. Climate security: supporting industry to move away from expensive and dirty fossil fuels. 4. Economic security: playing our part in reducing inflation and boosting growth, delivering high skilled jobs for the future.

The government was forced to publish this "Powering up Britain" strategy after the High Court judged last July that its current plan was not detailed enough to show how the UK would meet its goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

Academics and green groups are unconvinced it will make enough difference.

Dr Chris Jones, an expert in climate change at the University of Manchester, said: "This latest government energy strategy is a weak response to the UK's zero carbon energy needs.

"The regressive measures on fossil fuels won't make any real impact on our bills and energy security, but they are enough to downgrade the UK's role as a leader in tackling climate change."

Friends of the Earth - who were part of the team who brought the legal case against the last plan - said they may have to go back to the High Court.

The Plan is based on nuclear and (unproven) Carbon Capture use and Storage and Hydrogen; plus the usual suspects of moving away from gas for heating; improved energy efficiency; renewables (but no change in policy on on-shore wind farms despite being cheapest source of electricity); decarbonising transport; speeding up planning (see below); mobilising green finance.