The renewables industry has welcomed the Labour victory in the UK general election, proclaiming it “a landslide for the green economy”.
The party gained more than 400 seats in the 4 July poll – far more than the 326 needed for a majority – as Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives suffered heavy losses. Among the casualties was former Energy Secretary Grant Shapps, who lost his Welwyn Hatfield seat to Labour. The Defence Secretary is the most senior Tory to lose his seat in the rout.
“The results look clear – voters have rejected anti net zero rhetoric and chosen cheaper, cleaner, more secure energy. This looks like a landslide for a green economy,” said Octopus Energy founder Greg Jackson.
With Keir Starmer (pictured) handed a huge Parliamentary majority, industry and climate campaigners urged the incoming government to be bold in its renewables plans and efforts to move to net zero.
Thrive Renewables Managing Director Matthew Clayton added: “We welcome change and look forward to prioritising action in light of the climate emergency.
“Labour’s manifesto outlined its plans to put people at the heart of the energy transition and we were particularly pleased to see more support for community energy projects through its Local Power Plan – helping ensure the benefits of renewables are felt locally.
“After nine long years, we also hope to see the block on onshore wind in England removed in its entirety, levelling the planning playing field with other infrastructure, and ensuring we can harness our abundant wind power.
“This will go a huge way in helping the UK to achieve its long-term net zero goals, while delivering cheaper, cleaner power for homes and businesses at a time when it is so vitally needed.”
Chief executive of the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Trevor Hutchings said: “We are pleased to see an incoming Labour administration committed to clean growth and energy decarbonisation.
“We would encourage Sir Keir and his team to galvanise a sector that can boost the UK economy and achieve his target of the highest growth in the G7.
“Recent research suggests that the previous Governments’ cuts in renewables and clean technology investment over the last decade has added £22bn to UK energy bills. Investing in our sector can mitigate against rising energy costs, improve energy security, create jobs and growth, improve international competitiveness and help address climate change.
“The impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world and the longer we delay the higher the costs of addressing it become. We will also miss out in the global race for investment and talent in the technologies of the future.
“The REA is challenging this administration to be bold and quickly seize this opportunity.”
Friends of the Earth’s head of policy Mike Childs added: “Labour’s plans for climate and nature are far stronger than its predecessor’s, but need to go further still if we’re to get the country back on course for meeting crucial targets.
“Labour must now seize the huge opportunities that investment in green growth can bring, such as lower bills, healthier, happier communities, hundreds of thousands of new jobs in clean industries and a safer planet for future generations.”
Engineering consultant Stantec’s UK&I regional business lead for energy John Ord said: “Everyone is on the same page when it comes to the urgent need for planning reform, upgrading the grid, and rapidly bringing more renewable energy sources online, but there are challenges to address around the materials needed to support these monumental efforts.
There will be a significant demand for steel in the near future, and as a country, we need to ensure the built environment has access to the right resources at the right time. We’d like to see the new government put a robust plan in place to ensure we can quickly upgrade the grid to support the energy transition.
“We would hope to see continuity from the new government, honouring commitments made as part of the country’s low-carbon journey. For example, the cap and floor mechanism for long duration pump storage should move forward uninterrupted. The transition to renewables and net zero targets requires energy storage, and consistent policies that enable the critical private sector investment.”
Ramboll’s UK managing director Philippa Spence said: “I am optimistic that the new Labour government heralds a critical turning point in the green transition.
“The private sector has not wavered on net zero, despite recent inconsistent political messaging across party divides. Now, our new government must show it has the same strength of appetite to spur on green investment as we do.
“For instance, we believe it is still possible for the UK to remain competitive on the international stage when it comes to key infrastructure such as offshore wind, with the private sector eager to get to work on the government’s plans to double onshore wind and quadruple offshore wind by 2030, as part of the pledge to ‘make Britain a clean energy superpower’.
“Our new government’s proposed overhaul of the planning system and the creation of Great British Energy also offers beacons of hope for the industry’s path to decarbonising the built environment.
“However, now is the time to deliver on these critical manifesto commitments and focus on putting ambitious plans into action, and quickly, in close collaboration with the private sector. We stand ready.”
Greenpeace UK’s co-executive director Areeba Hamid said: “This landslide victory has buried Sunak’s divisive anti-green agenda once and for all and is a powerful call for change.
“Voters have resoundingly rejected his climate rollbacks and elected a party with a proper plan to turbocharge cheap, clean, renewable energy – promising to slash emissions, lower bills and deliver hundreds of thousands of new green jobs.”