Third Update of July 2020 – An overview of last week’s Energy news

Below is this week’s summary. It should be a one minute read relevant to UK energy with links to documents for those who wish to read more.

(Click a bullet point to open the relevant article)

Tuesday – 14th July

• UK Government document announces plans to change planning laws in favour of bigger batteries to store power generated from renewable sources, perhaps trebling capacity and creating so-called ‘green-collar’ jobs.

• Work has begun on an interconnector to import electricity from Denmark to eastern England.

Thursday – 16th July

• Plans have been approved for SSE to lay an electricity export cable from Shetland to the mainland providing the regulator has confidence that a large-scale wind farm will go ahead at Shetland. The Viking Energy project proposes to build the largest onshore wind farm comprising 103 turbines.

• The UK Prime Minister has reiterated support for nuclear power as a critical part of policy to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

• Shell Energy Retail has launched a test tariff to reduce energy bills for customers with domestic solar power and batteries. The tariff will create energy bill credits in summer to be applied during winter.

Friday – 17th July

• A Think Tank has proposed diverting more than 27 tonnes of ‘residual’ (non-recyclable) waste per year to heat generation.

• A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between a company manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles and the Welsh Government to site the factory in Wales.

Sunday – 19th July

• Scottish Brewery Tennents is building carbon capture into its Well Park site in Glasgow.