Utility Week

Campaign support for a variety of renewable sources. The UK is a world leader in o shore wind but the government should develop a strategy for supporting other low-carbon sources of energy. This needs to re ect the potentially game-changing contribution of carbon cap- ture and storage to arguments for greening the gas grid. All political parties must stop using the net zero target as a political football. Utility Week strongly supports the aim of reaching net zero by 2050, to be reviewed regularly to assess if faster progress can be achieved. Right now, the experts are unanimous that 2050 is already an ambitious target. To pledge an earlier deadline with no idea how to get there will undermine public trust. Help utilities to forge a new social contract with the public It is essential that public trust is attained in a sector which provides lifeline services. The industry wants to, and must be allowed to, play a leading role in creating a more sustain- able economy and society. A national conversation is needed about whether consumers would prefer to fund some of the long-term green investment through taxes or bills. Regulators must be allowed to pur- sue a strong, principles-based approach as opposed to populist/interventionist measures. The government has to take its share of responsibility for the failings in the smart meter rollout programme and stop indulg- ing the false narrative that it is entirely down to energy suppliers. The half-hearted exten- sion of the scheme to 2024 will do nothing to solve the fundamental problems that remain. The clear answer is to make smart meters mandatory and work together to promote their bene‚ ts and place within the net zero journey. Ensure the energy price cap is subject to rigorous, independent review within 12 months of a new government. We support the introduction of citizens' assemblies, so that the public has buy-in on green policy, which they will ultimately pay for through taxes or bills. Protect investment in the delivery of lifeline services The renationalisation debate has presented a skewed picture of investment in the sector. Long-term clarity is needed on the funding needed to serve customers and prepare the sector for the future. The merits or otherwise of Brexit aside, the uncertainty over the past three years has been damaging and needs to end. The demonisation of the industry must stop, as should the damaging and ill- conceived pursuit of nationalisation. There should be recognition of the bene‚ ts that private investment has brought to the sector. The industry needs long-term clarity on carbon pricing. The price review process has to play a part in this – the cost of capi- tal needs to work for investors and custom- ers alike. Regulators should be supported in their development of uncertainty mecha- nisms in future price controls for monopoly utilities. The balance of responsibility on utilities for caring for the most vulnerable in soci- ety should be revisited. In some areas of the industry the current arrangements are sim- ply not serving the needs of sections of soci- ety requiring the most support. A forum for collaboration across government and indus- try is needed to ‚ nd the bold ideas needed to tackle this most crucial of issues. Foster innovation to stimulate a thriving green economy The new government must create an environ- ment where the public and private sector can work together to share ideas on how the net zero journey can create opportunities and encourage growth The path to decarbonisation, and the bold ideas needed to reach the UK's targets, should be re ected in the regulatory struc- ture and the approach to price controls. Provisions for open data have to be made. The government must ensure freedom of movement for skilled people who want to work in the utilities sector. The national infrastructure strategy must be published in the ‚ rst half of 2020. The role of water minister should be a ded- icated position within Defra, re ecting the huge challenges ahead on cutting water con- sumption and protecting the environment. There should be recognition that each region of the UK has di ering needs and that centralised approach to policy has become outdated. Utility Week Election 2019 Manifesto Election 2019 8 | 22ND - 28TH NOVEMBER 2019 | UTILITY WEEK U tility Week's Election 2019 campaign will push the main parties on the issues that are closest to the heart of utilities and bring expert views on what this crunch election means for business. The centrepiece of the coverage over the next month will be our own mani- festo, a series of pledges and policy areas which we will lobby the next government to implement. They will centre around four key areas, and within each of these headline topics we will make a series of suggestions. Over the next year we will continue to press the gov- ernment on the importance of these meas- ures, alongside the development of our New Deal for Utilities campaign. Empower utilities to deliver net zero by2050 Utilities have been at the forefront of paving the way towards decarbonisation, yet policy has not kept up. The next government must set out clear energy and water e• ciency strategies, including: • A national campaign promoting more responsible use of water – the forgotten element of the climate change argument; • Unequivocal energy e• ciency standards for new homes. • A strategy to retrospectively upgrade the nation's housing stock to an agreed standard of e• ciency. In energy, these must be supported by the publication of the energy white paper within the ‚ rst six months of the next parliament. Achieving net zero by 2050 is impossible without solutions to the challenge of decar- bonising heat. Immediate resources must be allocated to identifying the best way forward and a clear roadmap set out. The role the gas networks can play in this vital piece of work is one area Utility Week would like to high- light in our manifesto. Frameworks for rolling out electric vehi- cles (EVs) and energy exibility markets must be set out. The government must be honest with the public about the cost of net zero – includ- ing who will pay and how – through a cli- mate budget within the ‚ rst year of the next parliament. The net should be widened in terms of

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