Boris Johnson ‘plans new climate department’ to work towards net zero future

Rumours suggest the Prime Minister is formulating a post-election partial reshuffle of the cabinet

Smart metering update for businesses and homes

In an effort to reduce energy consumption and meet carbon targets, the UK government has committed to rolling out smart meters for businesses and homes across the country by the year 2020. A major energy infrastructure project in the UK, the Smart Metering Implementation Programme will see the replacement or upgrading of over 50 million […]

UK must prioritise 2030 climate goals in Brexit negotiations

The UK should prioritise climate change and its 2030 commitments during the exit negotiations with the EU. That’s according to Charlotte Burns, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Politics and Policy at University of York who told ELN: “The immediate priorities the UK needs to think about are the habitats and the birds directives, bathing water, the common […]

Green Deal scheme ‘put public money at risk’

Public money was put at risk by the government’s failure to implement household energy efficiency initiatives. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said forecast of demand for Green Deal loans was “excessively optimistic” and the uptake of the scheme was “woefully low” because it wasn’t adequately tested. The MPs believe it gave a “completely misleading picture […]

A story of life and DECC

[View the story “A story of life and DECC” on Storify]

New energy dept insists tackling climate change ‘remains a priority’

The new energy department insists tackling climate change “remains a key priority” for the UK Government. The comment from the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) – headed by Greg Clark – comes as new Prime Minister Theresa May abolished the Department of Energy and Climate Change last week. The omission of […]

Government abolishes Department of Energy and Climate Change

The UK Government has abolished the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The functions of DECC will be transferred to the new Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, headed by Greg Clark. Former Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has been appointed as the new Home Secretary while Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom has been transferred […]

Head shot of Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark smiling
Greg Clark heads Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy dept

Greg Clark has been appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. That’s a new department created by new Prime Minister Theresa May as she decided to merge the departments of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Former Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has been appointed as the new […]

UK generated 23.2TWh of green electricity

The UK generated 23.2TWh of electricity from renewable sources in the first quarter (Q1) of 2016. That’s a 6.4% increase compared to the same period in 2015, according to new figures released by DECC. It added the share of electricity generation from green sources was 25.1% – an increase of 2.3% from the same period […]

Green certificates issued to generators up 6%

The number of Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) issued during the first quarter of the year increased by 6%. They rose from more than 23 million in the first quarter last year to 24.4 million in 2016. Generation picked up by 4% to 18,713GW, new figures from DECC reveal. ROCs are issued to operators of accredited renewable energy generating […]