EDF Energy has committed to working with the next elected government to enable Britain to achieve net zero, publishing its priorities for the UK government.
The manifesto sets out the policies that EDF says will “enable investment in low carbon technologies, support job creation in the sector and facilitate a competitive retail market that is affordable for UK businesses and consumers”.
EDF CEO Simone Rossi said: “Climate change is one of the biggest issues we face as a society, but with challenge also comes opportunity. The next government will aim to equip Britain with policies that reinvigorate the economy, boost our industrial strength, create jobs, and secure Britain’s energy supplies. It will be their task to set the direction and pace for our journey to net zero. There is plenty to do and no time to lose.”
To enable a fair and competitive retail market, EDF says it helps customers use less energy by optimising the rollout of low-carbon technologies, including heat pumps and smart meters. It calls on the incoming government to “urgently” bring forward a government-funded social tariff to allow those in need to access financial support with energy bills.
EDF’s manifesto addresses the fact that electricity is currently more expensive than gas, largely due to government policy costs on electricity bills. It also calls for a framework for the completion of the smart meter rollout: “Most customers who want one now have one. Without a fresh approach from government there is a risk the rollout will remain incomplete.”
Developing a skilled workforce is an issue that reaches across the renewables sector, and the manifesto calls on the next government to harness the talents of communities underrepresented in energy to address the skills shortage.
Furthermore, it suggests a new central skills oversight body for the nuclear sector and building common competence pathways within the nuclear and construction sectors.
EDF says policies, including a reformed planning system for net zero infrastructure and developing a flexible grid, will enable the transition to a decarbonised electricity system, as the current regulatory system fails to unlock the scale of new grid infrastructure needed.
EDF Renewables UK has also outlined its priorities for the next UK government that also addresses the current grid situation: “We believe National Grid and Distribution Network Operators should be held to promised timelines as there are often significant delays in getting projects online”.
It says a roadmap to net zero by 2050 is required immediately—without one, the UK will not meet its climate obligations.
EDF Renewables also calls for a review of the budget for AR6 at “the next available opportunity” and proposes bolder improvements to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) mechanism.
Industry’s appeals to the next government
Renewable energy company Ripple published a People Power Manifesto, calling on the next government to prioritise people-owned power. It addresses ownership of renewable energy projects—the majority of which, in the UK, are owned by big businesses, utility companies and banks—aiming to ensure ‘real’ people benefit from the reduced cost of clean energy.
Scottish Power called for a “green light for growth” as part of 10 “solid, deliverable and impactful steps” to enable decarbonisation efforts set out by CEO Keith Anderson.
CEO of BEAMA, the UK trade association for manufacturers and providers of energy infrastructure technologies and systems, said in response to the general election announcement: “The next Government has a simple decision to make. Create an environment for growth and prosperity based on a successful green economy or drive away billions of pounds of private investment and risk jobs with policy uncertainty and delay.
“Whoever wins the upcoming General Election will need to prioritise a stable policy environment, with clarity from the government that allows the innovative, high-impact solutions from industry that will tackle the structural challenges to building a low-cost, low-carbon and secure energy system.”
