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Green Energy in the North-west
23 June 2021
Lead MP
Mick Whitley
Responding Minister
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Tags
Climate
Word Count: 8404
Other Contributors: 8
At a Glance
Mick Whitley raised concerns about green energy in the north-west in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I ask the Government to be more ambitious in their vision for green energy, encouraging hydrogen as a domestic heating source by phasing out natural gas boilers. I also call for additional funding for projects like HyNet North West and for serious consideration of tidal power investments.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
I am concerned that the Government's decarbonisation strategy lacks ambition and vision, delivering only 80% of required carbon emission cuts. The sequential approach to creating low-carbon clusters risks leaving the north-west behind. Offshore wind has been a success but other forms of renewable energy are missing out on investment, especially wave and tidal power which could meet up to a fifth of UK electricity demand.
Alan Whitehead
Lab
Southwarke
Mr Whitehead congratulated the Member for Birkenhead on securing the debate and highlighted the importance of renewable energy in the north-west. He mentioned the region's significant tidal resources, such as the second highest tidal range in the UK in the Mersey estuary, and noted that development of offshore wind has essentially stalled despite abundant potential. He also praised the HyNet project for its innovative approach to carbon capture and storage and hydrogen production.
Andrew Gwynne
Ind
Gorton and Denton
Andrew Gwynne discussed the potential of a UK invention, the geo-engine, to reduce carbon emissions globally while creating thousands of skilled jobs in the north-west. He highlighted its ability to eliminate CO2 flaring, which accounts for around 300 million tonnes annually, and expressed hope that it would receive support from the Government.
Andy Carter emphasised the need for a positive return on local people in the north-west as part of the green industrial revolution. He highlighted HyNet's potential to create £17 billion of added economic value and up to 5,000 jobs by 2025, and mentioned smaller projects like Lymm Community Energy's solar farm which could supply electricity to 1,500 homes.
James Davies
Con
Montgomeryshire
James Davies highlighted the importance of green energy infrastructure in providing employment and contributing to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. He expressed concern over the lack of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the need for rail infrastructure investment as part of a modal shift from road to rail. Davies also discussed the potential of offshore wind farms, nuclear power stations, and hydrogen conversion projects such as HyNet North West in the region. He requested that the Minister consider HyNet favourably when discussing cluster sequencing decisions before 25 October.
Justin Madders
Lab
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Mr Madders emphasised the importance of transitioning to a hydrogen-based economy in Ellesmere Port, highlighting the potential for capturing up to 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually through projects like HyNet North West. He stressed that companies such as CF Fertilisers must have affordable gas prices and emission costs over the next five years to ensure job security and economic prosperity.
Blackley and Broughton
The north-west faces significant challenges in transitioning to net zero, with a need for rapid roll-out of heat pumps to address climate targets. The Green Homes Grant was scrapped after six months, leaving the market for low-carbon heating stagnant. There is also uncertainty around the future of Ellesmere Port's Vauxhall plant due to lack of financial support from the Government.
Paula Barker
Lab
Liverpool Wavertree
The north-west of England, birthplace of the industrial revolution, is well positioned to lead on a new wave of innovation and tackle climate change through green job creation and infrastructure investment. The Liverpool city region declared a climate emergency in 2019, aiming for net zero carbon by 2040. Highly skilled jobs from projects like the Mersey tidal power could generate up to four times the energy of all wind turbines in Liverpool Bay and create up to 5,000 jobs.
Tim Farron
Lib Dem
Westmorland and Lonsdale
Mr Farron highlighted issues related to green energy provision in Cumbria, including high connection costs for small businesses and farms, the need to integrate renewable energy into building regulations, the impact of ending feed-in tariff schemes on hydro-energy companies, and opportunities for tidal energy generation in Morecombe bay. He called for incentives for hydroelectricity and revising land compensation laws to offset costs associated with solar panel installation.
Government Response
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Government Response
The Minister congratulated the hon. Member for Birkenhead on securing this debate and highlighted the Government's commitment to a cleaner and greener future through various funds such as the industry strategy challenge fund, industrial energy transformation fund, and clean steel fund. She discussed the 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, including commitments to carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) in at least two industrial clusters by the mid-2020s and further progress towards four clusters by 2030. The Minister also mentioned specific projects like the UK's first industrial CCU plant in Cheshire, which will receive £4.2 million grant from BEIS through its carbon capture and utilisation demonstration programme, and the HyNet North West project, receiving almost £33 million of funding from the industrial decarbonisation challenge fund. She expressed excitement about bringing carbon budget 6 into law, aiming to position the UK as a global leader in future energy industries.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.