Commission welcomes net zero duty for Ofgem

Change to Energy Security Bill in line with Commission recommendation to boost investment in resilient net zero infrastructure

Published: 7 Jun 2023

By: Rob Mallows

Tagged: ,

A wind turbine and electricity pylon

The goverment has confirmed plans to amend the Energy Security Bill, currently before the House of Commons, to give the energy regulator Ofgem a new explicit net zero duty. The amendment will legally require the regulator to ensure its decisions assist the governmen’s drive to deliver zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and boost investment in low carbon electricity generation.

Commenting on the change, National Infrastructure Commission Chair Sir John Armitt said:

“It’s good that government has seen the light on the need for Ofgem to be given an explicit net zero duty. The regulator now needs to use this mandate to build upon their recent decisions to accelerate strategic investment in the transmission network.

“Network investment is absolutely critical to achieving the large scale shift to renewable energy, and low carbon transport and heating. In the forthcoming second National Infrastructure Assessment, the Commission will make further recommendations on the governance changes needed to support the growth of the electricity network.”

In its 2019 report on infrastructure regulation – Strategic investment and public confidence – the Commission recommended government should introduce legislation to ensure regulators’ duties required them to consider the government’s commitment to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in their decisions, in order to encourage long term investment in low carbon infrastructure and improve climate resilience.

 

 

 

 

Share this article

<

Recent Articles

Prescot: Chancellor’s speech gives welcome “green light” to OxCam Arc infrastructure upgrades
Julia Prescot

Prescot: Chancellor’s speech gives welcome “green light” to OxCam Arc infrastructure upgrades

The Commission has welcomed the speech this morning by the Chancellor, the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, setting out the government’s plans for growth. In it she set out new details on its plans to invest in and deliver new infrastructure projects in support of this goal, including outlining new plans for the development of...

29 Jan 2025 By
Government update on plans to tackle planning delays “welcome and timely”
A T-Pylon

Government update on plans to tackle planning delays “welcome and timely”

The government has published over the weekend (26 January) more details of its programme of planning reforms, as part of its Plan for Change to deliver long term growth. The update provides more details of the reforms in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill designed to speed up the approval of major infrastructure projects. A Planning...

27 Jan 2025 By
Ferry ‘cross the Mersey to see Liverpool’s infrastructure priorities firsthand
Aerial view over the city of Liverpool

Ferry ‘cross the Mersey to see Liverpool’s infrastructure priorities firsthand

Our Chair Sir John Armitt, Commissioner Michele Dix and members of the Commission’s secretariat spent Thursday (24 January) in Liverpool to hear from City Region Combined Authority officials and regional stakeholders about the region’s infrastructure priorities and growth ambitions – with one of the city’s famous ferries providing a vantage point from which to get...

24 Jan 2025 By

Evidence_Icon_Turquoise Created with Sketch.

Explore data used in the Commission's research, and gain insights from across UK infrastructure