London has a distinct role to play in the Government’s mission to achieve 100% clean energy use UK-wide by 2030.Its unique landscape, housing density and infrastructure mean local energy production presents a very significant challenge. As such, there is very little energy generation taking place in the capital at present.
And yet, future security and availability of green energy supply will be key to keeping the city motoring as an engine of growth for the whole UK in the years ahead. It will also have a huge bearing on our competitiveness on the world stage, affecting everything from housebuilding through to the data centres that will support the industries of tomorrow.
Removing these barriers to supply will be essential to reaching London’s 2030 net-zero goal, and can help support the creation of tens of thousands of jobs whilst improving the health and quality of life for those who live and work in the capital.
As part of BusinessLDN’s sustainability programme, we recently brought together members and Juergen Maier, Chair of Great British Energy, at an event kindly hosted by Atkins Realis to discuss how members can invest to support, and benefit from, the Government’s ambitious clean energy goal.
Juergen took attendees through Great British Energy (GBE)’s aims around accelerating the clean power revolution and creating jobs in all parts of the country in doing so. It will achieve this in part through making direct investments in emerging technologies and renewable energy capacity designed to spur much-needed additional private investment in these areas.
Juergen also highlighted the body’s intention to work with supply chains to accelerate project delivery, create job opportunities and address skills shortages.
The discussion also covered the role that working with local communities to create decentralised energy networks can play on the road to net zero; the importance of facilitating flexible generation and supply in response to real-time demand, especially in dense urban areas; and the planning reforms required to move more energy projects from the development stage to full grid connectivity.
Alongside this, Juergen discussed the benefits of equity, diversity and inclusion measures in supporting development of the kind of progressive leadership needed to lead the future energy workforce
Here at BusinessLDN, the transition to net zero is a key focus area for us, with our Spending Review submission calling for confirmation of promised funding to Great British Energy to help catalyse further green investment; financial incentives to accelerate the electrification of river transport; abolition of VAT for building retrofits; and installation of a revenue support mechanism to make the UK a world-leader in the production of sustainable aviation fuels.
If you would like to learn more about our sustainability work, get in contact with Matthew Fell or Victoria Armstrong.