With the Labour Party’s landslide electoral victory on July 4th, the United Kingdom has entered a new era. Incoming Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will need to tackle Britain’s economic challenges, but what other priorities will he have?
Labour’s policies on climate and energy plus the retrofitting and decarbonising the UK’s housing stock represent a bold and necessary approach to achieving net zero by 2050. The integration of local authorities, the strategic use of public and private investment, and the focus on systemic regulatory changes are all vital components of this ambitious agenda.
We are pleased to share our insights on the future direction of various policy areas that are crucial to the Gemserv team and essential for the success of our projects and partners.
Retrofitting in with Labour policy
Heating homes accounts for a significant 18% of the UK’s national carbon emissions, a figure that underscores the urgency of addressing this sector to meet the country’s climate goals.
How can the Labour government transform Britain’s housing stock? What are the significant barriers to implementation?
Read moreGeneration and Transmission in Balance
The flagship GB Energy initiative is focused on funding new renewable generation. Some financial analysts warn that investing heavily in new generation without addressing transmission issues could be problematic.
How can we develop the infrastructure to support renewable generation?
Read our report
Labour’s GB Energy – where’s the Flexibility?
The Labour Party Manifesto notably omitted any mention of Energy Flexibility. What we can at least see is a range of Net Zero and Energy Security commitments that could have positive impacts in enabling more Flexibility in our Energy System.
Will the Labour government make changes to the NZIP portfolio? What are their specific plans regarding Energy Flexibility?
Read our reportHeating
In their manifesto, Labour has been careful not to prescribe specific heating measures. To give the industry confidence to invest in scaling up supply chains, a clear set of eligible measures is necessary.
What policy framework needs to be implemented to support low-carbon heating? Is the current version of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) fit for purpose?
Read our report
Defining Moment for Hydrogen
Labour have provided clear signals that they intend to maintain, if not increase, the nation’s hydrogen ambition. Hydrogen power generation is anticipated to be the most cost-effective solution for low-load, long-duration needs.
How can Labour continue the current trajectory for hydrogen policy? Will the current level of funding be adequate for their ambitions?
Read our reportWhat’s next for data protection now the dust has settled on the General Election?
Data protection was not a major theme for any of the major political parties standing in the election.
The Labour party did include a small number of data-related comments in its manifesto, though, which provide some insights into how it sees data driven innovation and data-related risks.
How does Labour plan to support Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Will regulations hinder or support this fast growing sector?
Read our report
