Sustainable Energy news

• EU retrofit scheme wasting billions for little effect

  08-07-2026 12:00 via energylivenews.com
  EU-funded home renovation schemes are delivering only modest energy savings, with auditors warning billions are being spent on easy upgrades rather than deeper work that would cut consumption for decades.The European Court of Auditors said measures backed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the EU’s COVID recovery fund, too often favour faster projects such as window replacements and solar panels over major renovations capable of cutting energy use by more than 60%.That matters becau
  
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• Postman delivers carbon savings!

  09-07-2026 16:00 via energylivenews.com
  Royal Mail has cut its carbon emissions by nearly a third since 2021, helped by electric vans, cleaner fuels and energy efficiency upgrades.The company’s latest Sustainability Report shows total market-based emissions fell to 1,085KtCO2e in 2025/26, a 31% reduction against its 2020/21 baseline.Emissions were also down 7% year-on-year.Royal Mail said average emissions per parcel fell 6% over the past year to 164gCO2e, which it says keeps it as the UK’s greenest parcel operator.Fleet
  
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• UK Power Networks ranked among UK’s top 10 for customer service

  09-07-2026 15:00 via energylivenews.com
  UK Power Networks has been ranked among the UK’s top 10 organisations for customer service and named the highest-performing utility in the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI).The company, which delivers electricity to 8.5 million homes and businesses across London, the East and South East, ranked 10th across all sectors and was the only utility to feature in the top 50.
  It marks the eighth time UK Power Networks has topped the utilities sector in the UKCSI, published twice a yea
  
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• Energy-efficient homes drive demand among buyers in Spain

  09-07-2026 14:00 via energylivenews.com
  Interest in energy-efficient homes is growing across Spain, with buyers increasingly seeking properties that can reduce both household bills and carbon emissions.According to Taylor Wimpey España, sustainability has become a key topic during the homebuying process, with prospective buyers asking more questions about energy ratings, insulation and long-term heating and cooling costs.Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director at Taylor Wimpey España, said: “Sustainability is
  
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• Flagship Energy’s Mike Stafford Energy Markets Update – 9th July

  09-07-2026 13:57 via energylivenews.com
  After three weeks of fragile calm in the Middle East following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, markets were given a fresh injection of bullishness this week as the US and Iran exchanged strikes. The Winter 26 gas contract gained 10p/th between close on 2nd July and the morning of the 9th. Its power counterpart saw similar gains, surging from £98.90 to £104.50/MWh over the same period.While Iranian threats to shipping had not reliably ceased in
  
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• ESG gets serious with launch of combined rating agency

  09-07-2026 13:00 via energylivenews.com
  A new sustainability ratings agency has launched across Europe with the merger of two big players, in what’s seen as confirmation of the link between the ESG and finance.EthiFinance and ESG Book are joining forces to create one of the EU’s largest independent credit and sustainability ratings agencies.The deal brings together sustainability ratings, credit ratings, data and analytics under the EthiFinance brand, creating a European provider with more than 300 experts and coverage of
  
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• Extreme heat puts pressure on electricity system with margin warning issued

  09-07-2026 12:12 via energylivenews.com
  Extreme heat across Europe is putting Britain’s electricity system under pressure, prompting the National Energy System Operator to issue an Electricity Margin Notice for this evening.NESO said forecasts show tight margins between 6.30pm and 10.30pm on 9th July, with a projected system shortfall of 1,000MW during the evening peak. The warning is designed to bring more generation and flexible demand into the market before the system reaches that point.A NESO spokesperson said: “Our f
  
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• Spurs’ solar ambitions kick off

  09-07-2026 11:00 via energylivenews.com
  Tottenham Hotspur has applied to install around 3,800 solar panels on the roof of its north London stadium.The proposed 1.64MW system would give the ground a substantial source of on-site renewable electricity, reducing the amount of power it needs to draw from the grid while the panels are generating.Documents submitted to Haringey Council show the panels and their mounting equipment would be installed across the flat stadium roof. The equipment would sit no more than one metre above the highe
  
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• Nuclear lives on as Sizewell B secures 20-year extension

  09-07-2026 10:00 via energylivenews.com
  Britain’s nuclear fleet has been given a major boost after the Government agreed terms to keep Sizewell B generating until 2055.Centrica has confirmed that Heads of Terms have been signed for a 20-year regulated Contract for Difference, extending the life of the 1.2GW Suffolk power station from its current planned closure date in 2035.The deal means Sizewell B, which generates around 3% of the UK’s electricity, could remain on the system for another three decades.From April 2035 to
  
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• Drax power station is still by far our biggest polluter

  09-07-2026 09:00 via energylivenews.com
  Drax power station produced more carbon emissions than any other UK site in 2025 while receiving a record £999 million in public subsidies, according to new analysis from Ember.The energy think tank says the biomass plant emitted 14.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent during the year, making it Britain’s biggest emitter for the eleventh year running and raising fresh questions over the cost and environmental case for burning imported wood pellets for electricity.Ember&rsqu
  
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• UK approves new huge solar farm to power 200,000 homes

  08-07-2026 18:08 via independent.co.uk
  
  The government has approved 30 nationally significant clean energy projects since coming to power in July 2024
  
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• Consultation to strengthen UK nuclear manufacturing

  08-07-2026 16:00 via energylivenews.com
  The High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult has launched a national consultation, to help UK industry capture the economic and industrial benefits of more than £100bn of expected investment in the country’s civil and defence nuclear programmes over the next decade.The organisation is developing a ten-year Nuclear Manufacturing Strategy, arguing that the planned investment represents a “once in a generation” opportunity to strengthen the UK’s manufacturing base, imp
  
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• Hydrogen industry calls for stronger support

  08-07-2026 15:00 via energylivenews.com
  Hydrogen Europe and a coalition of industry organisations have called on EU policymakers to strengthen support for hydrogen infrastructure as negotiations continue on the EU Grids Package.In a joint statement, the organisations argue that hydrogen networks must be treated on an equal footing with electricity infrastructure if Europe is to achieve its competitiveness, energy security and decarbonisation goals. They say hydrogen infrastructure will be essential alongside electricity networks to c
  
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• Sizewell C reports on sustainability targets

  08-07-2026 14:00 via energylivenews.com
  Sizewell C has published its second Annual Sustainability Report, outlining progress on environmental, social and economic commitments as construction of the new nuclear power station continues in Suffolk.The report shows the project has now spent £4.89bn with more than 1,000 UK suppliers, including £1.35bn with businesses across the East of England. More than 2,000 people are currently working on site, with over one-third coming from the local area.The project has also created 120
  
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• Sky high energy prices will cost our businesses £85 billion

  08-07-2026 13:00 via energylivenews.com
  High energy prices could wipe £85 billion from the UK economy if factory closures and falling production are allowed to spread, manufacturers have warned.A joint report from Make UK and Ecotricity says industrial electricity costs are now threatening investment, competitiveness and in some cases the survival of British factories, with 13% of manufacturers warning further price shocks could be terminal for their operations.The report, From Crisis to Stability: A Future Energy System for Ma
  
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• Octopus union rights battle underway

  08-07-2026 11:00 via energylivenews.com
  Octopus Energy is facing a union recognition battle as it grows from challenger brand into Britain’s biggest household energy supplier.The Financial Times reported that GMB is preparing to submit a formal proposal for voluntary recognition at the London-based company, following concerns over workloads, training and worker representation.The move follows a collective grievance lodged last year by installers working on heat pumps and electric vehicle charge points through Octopus Energy Ser
  
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• Ofgem promises to regulate brokers without undermining the market

  08-07-2026 10:00 via energylivenews.com
  Open letter from Louise van Rensburg, Deputy Director for Third-Party Intermediaries, OfgemOfgem’s call for input launches a review of the Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs) sector, marking a pivotal moment for the UK energy market.The consultation – open until 16 July – is inviting input from TPIs, customers and their representatives, suppliers and anyone else with an interest, to better understand the TPI sector and its structure, and to ensure that new TPI regulation to stri
  
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• Net Hero Podcast – Will a glass of water power our future?

  08-07-2026 09:00 via energylivenews.com
  When I was a kid, fusion belonged in science fiction. It was the power of the Sun, the dream energy source that always seemed to be 50 years away. Every few years another headline would appear claiming a breakthrough, only for sceptics to shrug and say the same thing: “Come back in another half century.”Not anymore.The conversation has changed dramatically. Governments are still backing research but now private investors are pouring billions into companies that believe fusion can fi
  
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• Smart grid technology speeds up battery connections in the North West

  07-07-2026 16:00 via energylivenews.com
  An innovative smart control system is helping to accelerate the transition to clean energy by connecting major battery projects to the electricity network more quickly and at lower cost.SP Electricity North West has successfully linked a new 30MW battery to its network using its real-time active network management (ANM) system. The technology enabled the project to connect three years earlier than expected without the need for costly network upgrades, delivering savings of £3.2 million.Th
  
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• Brazil to phase out diesel subsidy more gradually

  07-07-2026 15:00 via energylivenews.com
  Brazil’s government will phase out its diesel subsidy more gradually than its gasoline subsidy, aiming to avoid price shocks and fuel supply disruptions despite falling global oil prices.Planning and Budget Minister Bruno Moretti said the government would remove the gasoline subsidy of around £0.06 per litre within days. However, the larger diesel subsidy, worth approximately £0.15 per litre, will be withdrawn over a longer period to give the market greater stability.Speaking
  
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• The World Cup of Energy Costs

  07-07-2026 14:55 via energylivenews.com
  Line up residential electricity prices for every nation at this year’s tournament and the UK comes in third — more expensive than Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain, Japan and Brazil. Argentina’s fans, cheering on the reigning champions, are paying barely a fifth of what a UK household pays for the same unit of power.But here’s the more useful part of this chart: where you personally sit on it doesn’t have to match where the UK sits. Load shift onto a time-of-use
  
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• Elexon to launch smart data repository to support smarter energy system

  07-07-2026 14:00 via energylivenews.com
  Elexon will launch its smart data repository this autumn after a UK Government decision confirmed its role in delivering the digital infrastructure needed for a smarter and more flexible electricity system.The decision follows a joint scoping exercise by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Ofgem into wider access to smart metering data. The review concluded that Elexon’s repository offers the fastest and most cost-effective route to making electricity smart meter d
  
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• On street charging on the rise

  07-07-2026 13:00 via energylivenews.com
  Britain’s public EV charging network added more than 5,000 chargers in the first half of 2026, with the strongest growth coming from on-street and ultra-rapid infrastructure.New figures from Zapmap show 5,119 public chargers were installed between January and the end of June, taking the total network to 121,171 chargers across 46,731 locations. That represents year-on-year growth of 10%.The expansion is increasingly focused on two parts of the market: drivers without off-street parking an
  
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• Most Europeans see economic growth as key to sustainability

  07-07-2026 12:00 via energylivenews.com
  Most Europeans believe economic growth is essential for building a sustainable future rather than an obstacle to achieving environmental goals.That’s according to new research from the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB). Published in Nature Communications, the study surveyed 17,000 people across 13 European countries to examine public attitudes towards economic growth and sustainability.
  It found that 60% of respond
  
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• UK must move beyond recycling to accelerate circular economy

  07-07-2026 11:00 via energylivenews.com
  A new report commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is urging the UK to shift its focus beyond recycling and place greater emphasis on preventing waste through a more circular economy.Produced by the University of Portsmouth’s Global Plastics Policy Centre (GPPC), the report reviews research and innovation across six priority sectors: food and agriculture, chemicals and plastics, electrical and electronic equipment, transport, textiles and the built
  
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• We set out Ofgem’s new smart meter standards

  07-07-2026 10:00 via energylivenews.com
  GSoP Decisions – What businesses need to know in 2026Following Andrew Jones’ recent Regulations Round-Up, this month we’re taking a closer look into one of the regulatory updates hitting the UK energy market in early 2026: Ofgem’s Final Decision on Smart Meter Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSoP) which have just been announced. These decisions mark a shift in smart‑meter consumer protections since the rollout began, bringing new accountability, new servi
  
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• Water companies who pollute face £500k fines

  07-07-2026 08:41 via energylivenews.com
  Water companies that repeatedly break environmental rules could face penalties of up to £500,000 under a major expansion of the Environment Agency’s enforcement powers.The Government says the changes will allow the regulator to punish breaches faster and more often, rather than getting bogged down in lengthy and expensive legal cases.Until now, the Environment Agency often had to prove offences to the same high standard used in criminal courts, even for frequent, minor or moderate b
  
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• Amazon’s €17bn low-carbon investment supports jobs and competitiveness across Europe

  06-07-2026 16:00 via energylivenews.com
  Amazon has invested €17 billion in European companies developing low-carbon technologies since 2021, supporting up to 144,000 jobs and generating as much as €11 billion in gross value added (GVA) across the EU and the UK.A new report by Frontier Economics examined Amazon’s investments between 2021 and 2025 across the energy, transport and packaging sectors.
  It concludes that large-scale private investment is helping to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness while accelerating
  
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• SSEN transmission joins EU’s cybersecurity collaboration

  06-07-2026 15:00 via energylivenews.com
  SSEN Transmission has joined the European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS) as an Information & Knowledge Sharing member to strengthen cooperation on grid cybersecurity across the UK and Europe.
  The move reflects growing alignment in regulatory expectations and rising cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure.Through ENCS, SSEN Transmission will work with transmission and distribution system operators across Europe, accessing shared research, technical guidance and workshops focused o
  
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• West of Shetland oil resources could support energy transition

  06-07-2026 14:00 via energylivenews.com
  New research from the University of Aberdeen suggests that developing oil and gas resources west of Shetland, could actually play a role in reducing emissions during the transition to a lower-carbon energy system.The peer-reviewed study highlights the region as the largest remaining offshore energy opportunity on the UK Continental Shelf, with an estimated 4.7 billion barrels of oil equivalent still to be discovered.
  Researchers argue that domestic production could help reduce reliance on impor
  
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