International Energy Security Summit: Championing Homegrown Clean Energy
The UK hosted the two-day International Summit on the Future of Energy Security on 24 and 25 April. The event brought together world leaders, international institutions, industry specialists and civil society organisations to discuss trends in global energy security and how to reshape energy security strategies through the transition to clean energy.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to net zero targets and investment in clean energy, arguing that “energy security is national security” and that UK and the other nation members of the International Energy Agency must “seize the opportunity of the clean energy transition because homegrown clean energy is the only way to take back control of our energy system”.
Likewise, Ed Miliband, Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, praised the UK’s “exciting vision of energy security and abundance from cheap, homegrown, low carbon power.”
We are beginning to see tangible detail on how the government is hoping to champion this vision of a low carbon future; the event formed the backdrop for a week of promising new announcements in the energy and net zero sector:
- £300m funding for GB Energy to create a Supply Chains Investment Fund. This funding will be fast-tracked ahead of the Spending Review for domestic offshore wind. The UK Energy Secretary, Business Secretary, Minister for Investment, National Wealth Fund, and Great British Energy also published a joint letter to industry to signal the UK’s commitment to its clean energy mission and urge developers and investors to “Build it in Britain”.
- Consultation launched on National Policy Statements. The revised statements under consultation include EN-3: National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure, aiming to give “developers clarity on what is needed for their clean power project to succeed.” To input into the techUK response, please email [email protected]
- Amendment to GB Energy Bill to rule out use of forced labour in supply chains. Introduced via the House of Lords, the amendment requires GB Energy to ensure in its activities “that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in its business or supply chains”. Amidst concerns about impacts on deployment given the UK’s current reliance on sourcing key solar panel components from China's Xinjiang region, Solar Energy UK has expressed confidence in the capacity of solar industry supply chains to continue to meet demand in line with the UK’s aims for clean power by 2030 and net zero by 2050. techUK has called for an EU-style forced labour and supply chain due diligence regulatory framework and will be following up with government on how this interacts with wider policy.
- New mission launched by UK-led Global Clean Power Alliance to strengthen global supply chains for clean energy. This mission aims to drive investment in renewable energy, bringing together partners across the Global North and South to secure and diversify clean energy supply chains.
- £2bn deal agreed for the HyNet Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in Liverpool Bay. The government will award Eni £2 billion in supply chain contracts to enter the construction phase for the HyNet Industrial Cluster, one of the world’s most advanced CCS clusters. This deal announcement comes at the same time as Eni secures three carbon storage permits from the North Sea Transition Authority for this project.
- Government launched a consultation on introducing a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). The government intends to introduce a CBAM from 1 January 2027 which will place a carbon price on emissions-intensive imports to the UK. The technical consultation on the draft primary legislation is open until 3 July 2025. techUK will be responding, and members can see our response to the previous consultation here.
- DESNZ announced new rules on smart appliance standards. As part of the Government’s Plan for Change they will set new new requirements for smart appliances to enable consumers to have more access to flexible tariffs for energy intensive appliances and greater data transparency, with the aim of reducing peak electricity demand on our grid infrastructure and ultimately creating consumer saving opportunities.
- Government launched a consultation on raising integrity in voluntary carbon and nature markets (VCM). The consultation document elaborates on the six integrity principles set out in November 2024 and invites views on their potential implementation. techUK has the position that new VCM rules need to be designed with ‘real economy’ companies in mind, and that if the rules are not well understood by mid-sized software companies, they won’t work at all.
- The Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce launched a call for evidence on UK nuclear framework and regulation. The call for evidence covers civil and defence nuclear regulation, including related environmental and planning regulation.
The tech sector is reassured that in the face of opposition and increasing climate scepticism, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to clean energy and net zero targets. We applaud the concrete steps that it is taking to encourage investment in clean energy and promote sustainable supply chains.
However, the adoption of digital technology is still too slow in the heaviest emitting sectors. Given that embedding digital solutions across these industries could help us to reduce carbon emissions by 20% by 2050, there is a clear need for government to align its ambitions of global leadership across both the clean energy and digital services industries – which includes harnessing the potential of AI.
We need a coherent plan that capitalises on the huge potential for green growth across the energy and tech sectors. This means embedding digital solutions into plans for GB Energy and attracting substantial investment into AI infrastructure and deployment.
Government must do more to show that it is willing to act quickly to embrace the growth opportunities of tech-led innovation and decarbonisation.
For more information, please contact:
Laura Packham
Laura has joined techUK from March 2025 on secondment from the Civil Service Fast Stream.
Craig Melson
Craig is Associate Director for Climate, Environment and Sustainability and leads on our work in these areas ranging from climate change, ESG disclosures and due diligence, through to circular economy, business and human rights, conflict minerals and post-Brexit regulation.
Teodora Kaneva
Teodora’s rich background varies from working in business development for a renewable energy lobbying association in Brussels to the fast moving technology innovation startup scene in the UK.