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Laith Whitwham @laithw.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

The UK's housing is among the least energy-efficient in Europe. This means it costs more to heat our homes that it needs to and we're wasting money on extra gas and electricity instead of spending it on the things that truly matter. www.ft.com/content/fce6...

Laith Whitwham @laithw.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

“If the UK wants to compete for clean industry and investment, electricity prices must come down,” said Laith Whitwham of E3G. “Moving legacy policy costs into general taxation is a fast, fiscally sound fix.” Coverage of our letter to the Chancellor: www.energylivenews.com/2025/05/14/c...

energylivenews.com

Cut electricity prices or lose clean industry boom - Energy Live News

Coalition urges Chancellor to shift green levies off bills to unlock growth and drive industrial electrification

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We say it makes far more sense to pay for these via taxation, where costs are recovered progressively. This will free up business capital to #invest in #electrification and #EnergyEfficiency, and free up cash for low-income households, who are disproportionately affected by the current model.

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What are policy costs? Generally things to help incentivise #CleanEnergy (if you've got #solar you may have had a Feed in Tariff). Invaluable schemes that helped scale-up #wind and solar, but paying for them via electricity bills is regressive and disincentivises the switch from gas to clean power.

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Why are we asking for this? High 🇬🇧 power prices are a massive burden for households, especially on low incomes, make it difficult for UK industry to compete internationally, and deter investment into new, #CleanIndustry. Removing #PolicyCosts is a fast and fair way to reduce those prices.

Today a coalition of 17 businesses, investors, trade bodies & climate orgs wrote to the Chancellor urging the UK gov to remove policy costs from #electricity bills. The public letter 👇 is a bold show of support across the board from 'green' groups to the private sector. www.e3g.org/news/cut-ele...

Cut electricity prices now or miss the Clean Industry Boom, say leading businesses and climate groups

A coalition of manufacturers, investors, and climate groups have called on the Chancellor to slash electricity prices to unlock growth, drive electrification, and secure Britain’s place in the global ...

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Reposted by Laith Whitwham

E3G - Third Generation Environmentalism @e3g.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

As Labour moves to rescue British #Steel, debate over the UK’s industrial future heats up. E3G’s @laithw.bsky.social says it’s not decarbonisation to blame, but the lack of a coherent industrial strategy. Read the full piece in @politico.eu here👇 www.politico.eu/article/keir...

politico.eu

The big unanswered questions from Keir Starmer’s British Steel takeover

How far is Labour willing to go to prop up Britain’s struggling industries? And will it be enough to see off the Farage threat?

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Reposted by Laith Whitwham

RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

A Starling murmuration, thousands of birds moving as one. A moment of wonder, a feeling of connection. What does it make you feel? #ThoughtfulThursday 💌

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Laith Whitwham @laithw.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

E3G's has just published new research on the cost of hydrogen for home heating and, unsurprisingly, it is not an attractive proposition - unless you own a gas network... Fantastic research into the cold, hard numbers from @chrisgalpin.bsky.social, with a thread well worth checking out.

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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

A reminder that the only way for Europe to reduce exposure to volatile fossil gas prices is to significantly reduce gas consumption.

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James Huw Dyson @jamesdyson.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Countless renters have similar stories. Appalling landlords think it is Okay to let homes in these conditions. In one story, Brighton City Council was contacted but did nothing; resource is the problem. We should levy ~£125 / property to fund local enforcement. 1/5 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

'Black mould is making my son ill' - the private renters struggling to be heard

Families tell BBC their mould-infested homes are making them ill - Panorama investigates.

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Juliet Phillips @julietphillips.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Given the media circus around nuclear & CCS, this is a timely analysis from BNEF that new wind & solar are already undercutting new fossil plants in almost every market globally. Cost of clean technologies are expected to fall further by 2-11% this year💰 about.bnef.com/blog/global-...

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James Huw Dyson @jamesdyson.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

UK heat pump sales increased 63% last year and 15% more people completed a recognised heat pump training qualification! This is great news in a sector which has taken a while to get going. 1/4 www.heatpumps.org.uk/record-year-...

heatpumps.org.uk

Record year for UK heat pump sales and training

New data from the Heat Pump Association (HPA) reveals that 2024 saw a significant 63% increase in hydronic heat pump sales, and a 15% increase in individuals completing a recognised heat pump training...

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...time and public funding are limited. CCS is receiving billions in subsidies while electrification receives next to nothing. If we're developing solutions alongside each other, it surely makes sense to go big, now, on the ones that can already be deployed at scale and with less financial risk.

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CCS has a role, e.g. in chemicals and cement, and potentially for dispatchable power. And yes, it's a nascent industry with high costs right now that are due to come down. BUT...

Steel will not use CCS. Low temperature heat and light manufacturing will likely electrify. Ceramics will achieve 85% of emissions reductions without CCS. Glass will use electrification and hydrogen, with CCS for only the biggest plants.

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At best, CCS will be one of many solutions. To call it the only way to protect our industrial heartlands is grossly misleading and ignores the fact electrification will decarbonise more than half of the UK's industrial activity. Electrification will also be far cheaper for business and the public.

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In this article the 'offshore energy' association @oeuk.bsky.social say CCS 'is the only way to protect heavy industrial activity and the jobs they support in our industrial heartlands.' This is simply not true and plays off fears around job losses. Short thread...

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But we don't need a 'renewable' fuel that's not really renewable to meet our renewable energy goals. For the detail this deserves read the full report here: www.e3g.org/publications... And follow @e3g.bsky.social @susieelks.bsky.social @edmatthew.bsky.social @elliemaeohagan.bsky.social

The UK's clean power mission: Delivering the prize

UK government can both achieve its Clean Power 2030 mission and bring down electricity bills for households.

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Our report charts a pathway to clean power that is based on: - Expanded renewables - Greater demand flexibility (smart technologies and tariffs) - Long-duration storage - Green hydrogen for dispatchable power The catch? Policy change is absolutely fundamental - especially to cut bills.

The government has therefore been reluctant to let go of bioenergy as a source of 'renewable' capacity, despite what the science tells us. But our analysis with @baringa.bsky.social shows this capacity can be found elsewhere, and at the same time as reducing bills!

The bioenergy lobby say they are crucial to the clean power mission, as bioenergy is a source of 'renewable' dispatachable power (electricity generation that can start on demand). And as we know, we'll need on-demand low carbon power in a system dominated by variable renewables.

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At the moment, 4% of our electricity comes from burning wood to generate power - mostly at Drax power stations. This practice is labelled 'renewable' (8% of renewable power in fact), but there's considerable evidence that burning wood pellets shipped halfway round the world isn't clean.

Doug Parr @dougparr.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

Reposted by Laith Whitwham

This would be exceptional stupidity by UK Labour government: * airport expansion ineffective for growth * damages climate, environment & health * highly divisive - could use political capital more productively * would require huge state subsidy when money's tight www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

bloomberg.com

UK Poised to Back Heathrow Airport Expansion in Push for Growth

Keir Starmer’s government is preparing to approve controversial expansions to three London airports as part of a push to spur growth that’s become more urgent this month after international markets ca...

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Lastly, be sure to follow the fantastic E3Gers on BlueSky that produced this groundbreaking research: @elliemaeohagan.bsky.social @edmatthew.bsky.social @nesta-smith.bsky.social @danielegibney.bsky.social @e3g.bsky.social With major credit to those that aren't: Susie Elks and Simon Skillings.

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There is so much more in the report which than a BlueSky thread can do just ice to. So if you work in #energy, #climate, #industry, or broader #economy and #business #policy, get stuck into this must-read 👇 www.e3g.org/publications... 9/9

The UK's clean power mission: Delivering the prize

UK government can both achieve its Clean Power 2030 mission and bring down electricity bills for households.

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3️⃣ And finally, we need to regulate against #profiteering by #gas companies in electricity markets - which has created misery for households and £billions in #windfalls for shareholders - while removing the cost of historic renewable #subsidies to lower #bills. 8/9

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2️⃣ Secondly, we need to help households to reduce their demand, use electricity when it is cheapest (through #SmartTariffs), and ensure they benefit if there is surplus renewable electricity in their local area. After all, the best way to reduce bills and emissions is to use less energy! 7/9

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1️⃣ Reform the way we negotiate #CfDs to keep prices low and reduce the cost of building renewables. The latter part ultimately consists of making it cheaper to borrow. Something #GBEnergy and the #NationalWealthFund could do via 'green interest rates'. 6/9

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✅ In fact, we estimate that our 'Electricity Bills Charter' of reforms could save billpayers over £200 per year. This next bit is crucial. Under business as usual, none of this is possible. The emissions, the cheaper power, the #energysecurity. Here's what the government must do: 5/9

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But what about bills? 💸 Clean energy shields 🇬🇧 from #gas price spikes that wreaked havoc on our bills in 2022/23 (see below). The increase in #renewables means gas fired power stations could provide less than 5% of our power in 2030, significantly reducing risk of price volatility. 4/9

✅ Second, the UK can do clean power WITHOUT #biomass. This is major as #bioenergy hoovers up subsidies while belching out planet warming #emissions - all while enjoying 'renewable #energy' status. We are confident that biomass won't be needed for our #dispatchable power requirements. 3/9

✅ First and foremost, the #Labour 2030 clean power target is achievable. #CleanPower can be done. Of course there are caveats. First, the government must reduce delivery constraints to enable #renewables to be built quicker. This is possible and could see #OffshoreWind triple. 2/9

This is an absolute magnus opus on the Labour Government's Clean Power Mission from @e3g.bsky.social Here's a run down of the key findings and recommendations, which have massive implications for where we take clean energy in the UK. 1/9 www.e3g.org/publications...