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Great British Energy

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Great British Energy
Agency overview
Formed2024
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
StatusProposed
HeadquartersAberdeen, Scotland, UK [1]
Minister responsible
Parent departmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero
Websitewww.gov.uk/government/organisations/great-british-energy
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Great British Energy (shortened to GB Energy or GBE) is a planned British governmental investment body and publicly owned energy generation company that forms part of the Labour Party's plans for energy policy.[2][3][4][5] The proposed body would invest in renewable energy and own, manage and operate clean power projects.[6]

Proposals for the body were put forward by the Labour Party in 2021 while in opposition, and the first steps to establish it were taken in late 2024 by the incoming Labour government.

Origins

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The proposal to create Great British Energy was put forward by the former Labour leader Ed Miliband in his capacity as Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in 2021, as part of a wider platform of policies named the "Green Prosperity Plan".[7] According to The Guardian, "Mathew Lawrence, the founder and director of the Common Wealth thinktank, [is] credited with coming up with the original idea for a national energy company".[8]

Prior to June 2024, Great British Energy had been floated by the Labour Party as being a proposal for the creation of an energy generating company, rather than an investment body.[9] As the minister responsible, Miliband later recommitted to the proposal of GBE as an energy generator, comparing the body to energy companies such as Ørsted and Statkraft.[10]

Creation

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On 5 July 2024, Ed Miliband was newly appointed as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and made his first formal announcement to civil servants, outlining his priorities to make the UK a clean energy superpower with the creation of GB Energy.[11]

The government initiated a plan to utilise the Crown Estate's British seabed for windfarms, aiming to power 20 million homes. This was the first major move by GB Energy, receiving £8.3bn in state funding to boost renewable energy. Ed Miliband asserted that the initiative would eventually lower household bills, although the Conservative Party criticised it as costly for families. The plan also included discussions with Scotland and Northern Ireland for similar projects. The government sought to attract £60bn in private investment, and to involve GB Energy in various renewable projects, including carbon capture and tidal energy.[12]

In July 2024, Jürgen Maier, former chief executive of Siemens UK, was appointed chair of GB Energy.[13] Great British Energy Group Limited was incorporated in October 2024, with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero as sole shareholder.[14]

Operations

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Great British Energy is headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland.[2] A target has been set for GBE to be directly responsible for generating 8 GW of renewable power by 2030.[15] According to the Labour Party, some of the funding for GBE would be provided from additional taxation of the fossil fuel industry.[3]

In October 2024, Maier said GBE had been promised £8.3 billion of investment capital over the next five years, for offshore wind, hydrogen power, carbon capture and nuclear power developments. GBE will begin by taking minority stakes in new projects.[16]

Reaction

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The Green Party and the UUP have voted for readings of the bill alongside the Labour Party.[17]

Opposition to the planned GB Energy included the claim from the Conservative opposition that GB Energy would lead to higher energy bills, as part of a general opposition to state-ownership of the electricity markets, which led to the moniker "Giant Bills Energy".[18] The Conservatives and the DUP have both voted against readings of the bill.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "GB Energy to be headquartered in Aberdeen". BBC News. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Switch on Great British Energy". Labour Party. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b "GB energy firm would secure future jobs, says Labour". BBC News. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  4. ^ "King's Speech - Debate (4th Day)". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  5. ^ Minio-Paluello, Mika; Markova, Anna (18 July 2024). "GB Energy: what did the King's Speech reveal about the government's plan?".
  6. ^ "Labour promised a state-owned energy company. Can it work?". Politico. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Labour has launched its Great British Energy policy - do we need it?". Sky News. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  8. ^ Harvey, Fiona; Stacey, Kiran; Carrell, Severin; Ambrose, Jillian (17 October 2024). "Will Great British Energy herald UK's green revolution?". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Labour's GB Energy plan branded 'a sham' as they admit 'it's not an energy company'". The National. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Clean Energy Superpower Mission". Hansard. 18 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Energy Secretary Ed Miliband sets out his priorities for the department". Gov.uk. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  12. ^ Espiner, Tom; Jack, Simon (24 July 2024). "Labour to use Crown Estate land to boost wind energy". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  13. ^ "New Great British Energy partnership launched to turbocharge energy independence". Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024 – via gov.uk.
  14. ^ "Great British Energy Group Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  15. ^ Gatten, Emma (31 May 2024). "What is Great British Energy? Labour's flagship policy explained". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  16. ^ Stacey, Kiran; Harvey, Fiona (16 October 2024). "GB Energy can become a major power generator, says its chief executive". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Great British Energy Bill: Second Reading - Commons' votes in Parliament - UK Parliament". UK Parliament.
  18. ^ "Giant Bills Energy" was a moniker used by the then ruling Conservative Party during the 2024 UK General Election, as part of Rishi Sunak's public opposition to the state-owned company.
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