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Number of flights taken by BEIS officials soars
The Whitehall officials responsible for tackling the climate crisis dramatically increased their domestic flights last year despite the huge carbon footprint associated with aviation.

Energy leaders urge government to back international AI climate centre
Leading voices from across the energy sector have this week called for the government to support the creation of an International Centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Energy and Climate.
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Lord Ian Duncan appointed to BEIS, completing Department's new ministerial line-up
Lord Ian Duncan has been appointed as the UK's Minister for Climate Change, completing the new line-up at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Reeves grills Leadsom on net-zero preparations
Rachel Reeves MP, chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee, has grilled BEIS's new Secretary Andrea Leadsom over her sector-specific plans for helping the UK to reach net-zero by 2050.

UK set to miss renewable energy target despite breaking records
Despite 2018 being another record year for renewable generation, official figures on energy consumption across the UK last year suggest that national 2020 renewable energy targets will be missed.

Cabinet reshuffle: Andrea Leadsom replaces Greg Clark as Business Secretary, Claire Perry becomes COP26 President
Former Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom last night (24 July) replaced Greg Clark as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), while Energy Minister Claire Perry has relinquished her role and has been named President of the UK's COP26 climate talks.

CCS, food waste and deposit return schemes: Recapping a week of major green policy announcements
As Boris Johnson settles into his first day as the UK Prime Minister, Defra, the Treasury and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have released a flurry of documents to strengthen approaches to environmental regulation, energy policy and packaging production.

Government unveils £80m pot to decarbonise aviation and road transport
In a bid to spur the development of new low-carbon transport technologies and systems on the path to net-zero by 2050, the UK has launched a new £80m funding pot for electric car and plane projects.

Ofgem and BEIS call on networks to realise £40bn flexible energy opportunity
Ofgem and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have penned a joint letter to the Energy Networks Association (ENA), calling on organisations to "evolve" to a more flexible system that could create a £40bn windfall for the UK economy.

Sir David Attenborough: 'Radical' battle against climate change can be a 'huge opportunity'
Sir David Attenborough has welcomed that the UK's net-zero carbon emissions target, noting that any nation that can "get ahead of the game" on the climate movement can generate huge economic and societal opportunities, provided "radical change" is introduced.

Questions raised about £1trn adaptation cost to net zero carbon economy
Questions have been raised about the £1trn cost estimate of establishing a net-zero carbon economy by the Common's Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee.

Government funnels £26m into CCUS projects
The UK Government had confirmed that 10 companies have secured £26m in funding to facilitate the advancement and rollout of carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS).
Queen's Birthday Honours: The sustainability champions who made the 2019 list
The Queen's 2019 Birthday Honours list has recognised the outstanding achievements of a number of senior figures across the UK's sustainability and energy sectors.

Parliament to debate bill committing UK to net-zero by 2050
A bill which would commit the UK Government to reducing national carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 will be put to Parliament next Tuesday (11 June), the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee has confirmed today (7 June)

Government defies CCC's carbon budget surplus advice
The cabinet has reportedly defied its own climate change adviser by carrying forward emission reductions, which have already taken place, into its future carbon budgets.

Theresa May's green policy legacy: Environmental leader or lukewarm laggard?
After weeks of calls to resign from all sides of the House, Theresa May has today (24 May) confirmed that she will step down as Prime Minister next month after three years in power, opening the race for the next Conservative Party leader. Amid tabloid claims that her legacy will be solely based on failing to deliver Brexit, edie instead explores her impact on green policy.

Talking Clean Growth with Frank Aaskov, Ben Golding and Shamit Gaiger
edie's Mission Possible sofa chat show returns for 2019. In the first episode of this series, edie discusses clean growth with Ben Golding, director of energy efficiency - Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Make UK's senior energy, climate and environment policy advisor Frank Aaskov and AECOM's director of strategic advisory Shamit Gaiger.

CCC boss: Net-zero before 2050 would be 'very risky' for UK economy
The Committee on Climate Change's (CCC) chief executive Chris Stark has defended the body's decision not to advise the Government on pathways which could create a net-zero carbon economy before 2050, arguing that doing so would be "very risky" from a social and economic perspective.

BEIS to launch energy efficiency consultation on commercial buildings 'as soon as possible'
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will launch a consultation on the emissions of commercial buildings "as soon as possible", describing the sector as a "huge untapped area" for improvements.

Report: Clear CCUS policy needed for UK net-zero emissions goal
The UK Government should update its "vague terminology" on carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) deployment in the UK to create clear policy drivers that transform the technology into a primary tool to meet national and international climate change targets.
How have key MPs responded to Greta Thunberg and the climate protests?
Following young climate activist Greta Thunberg's rousing speech to UK MPs calling for an overhaul to "very creative, carbon accounting," edie rounds up how key political figures have responded to her comments and the ongoing Extinction Rebellion protests.

West Sussex virtual power plant 'could save UK £32bn' if replicated nationally
The developers of a new virtual power plant (VPP) system set to come online across West Sussex in stages from autumn have claimed that the model could cut the UK's energy costs by 10% if it is rolled out nationally.

UK breaks coal-free power generation record by huge margin
Coal has historically been at the cornerstone of the UK's electricity mix, but the first three months of 2019 saw the electricity grid clock up 650 hours of coal-free generation - more than was achieved during the entirety of 2017.

UK forecast to miss fourth and fifth carbon budgets
The UK is on course to breach its fourth and fifth carbon budgets by 139 and 245 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) respectively, according to the latest forecast from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Green Alliance: Feed-In Tariff closure a 'major blow' for community solar
The Government's decision to axe the Feed-In Tariff (FiT) scheme will leave dozens of UK community groups "struggling to make the business case" for new small-scale solar projects, think tank Green Alliance has warned.

In charts: The UK's record-breaking year for low-carbon energy generation
With the latest Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) statistics revealing that 2018 was a record-breaking year for renewables and low-carbon generation, edie dives into the data to pull out the key achievements.

WATCH: Michael Gove, Claire Perry and Paul Polman support school climate strikes
Conservative MPs, Government Ministers and green business leaders have today (15 March) come out in support of students that are missing school and going on strike for a second time in the fight against climate change.

IPPR warns of risks and opportunities to decarbonisation in north of England
Tens of thousands of jobs could be created in the north of England as a result of decarbonisation, but there are many risks to the transition, a new report has claimed.

Government throws its weight behind offshore wind power expansion
The government will throw its weight behind an expansion in the use of offshore wind power in the hope the renewable energy source will provide a third of the UK's electricity by 2030.

Call for decentralised energy optimisation as FIT regime due to end
Fresh mechanisms will be required to ensure that new decentralised generation is visible on the grid once the feed-in tariff (FIT) regime ends this March, an event heard last week.

UK cities to become climate 'hubs' under new £3.5m scheme
The UK Government has launched a new £3.5m initiative aimed at connecting the nation's largest cities in a collective effort to tackle climate challenges.

Government launches new funding measures to target energy storage and AI innovations
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has announced a range of new funding measures aimed at uncovering cost-competitive energy storage technologies and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle food waste.

Claire Perry: UK's business community must help create a 'just' low-carbon transition
As the UK strives to meet legally binding carbon targets, businesses must help policymakers create a low-carbon economy that does not exclude working-class people or rural regions, Energy Minister Claire Perry has claimed.

Policy shake-up set to fast-track energy storage and renewables projects
The UK Government has launched a consultation to determine how best it can alter planning policy frameworks to support developers and businesses seeking to build energy storage facilities in England.

Government rejects calls to bring 2040 petrol and diesel car ban forward
The UK Government has confirmed that it will not bring the date of its 2040 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars forward, despite pressure from MPs and green campaign groups to set a 2032 deadline.

Solar households to be paid for excess power after Government U-turn
The UK Government has made a U-turn on its decision to end the solar "export tariff", confirming that households which install solar panels in the future will be paid for excess power they generate and send to the grid.

BEIS wants major carbon capture project delivered by mid-2020s
The UK Government has today (28 November) unveiled plans to "make carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) technologies a reality", including an aim to bring the nation's first large-scale CCUS facility online by the mid-2020s.

Interface, Unilever and Coca-Cola among business leaders calling for UK net-zero emissions target
The chief executives of major UK-based companies including Interface, Coca-Cola European Partners and Unilever have called for Prime Minister Theresa May to set legally binding targets that ensure the UK reaches net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

BEIS signals policy shift on export tariff
Energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry has signalled a shift in policy when it comes to the closure of the Feed-in Tariff.

'Genuinely bewildering': BEIS to allocate £60m for next CfD auction
The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is set to finalise a draft allocation of £60m for the next Contract for Difference (CfD) auction, raising questions as to how the remaining £497m set aside for future auctions will be spent.

WATCH: BEIS director outlines vision for a zero-carbon built environment
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy's (BEIS) Director of energy efficiency Ben Golding has outlined the "win-wins" that can be generated by businesses and public sector organisation by mobilising action towards a zero-carbon built environment by 2050.

BEIS Committee: Ban new petrol and diesel cars by 2032, not 2040
MPs sitting on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee have urged the Government to bring its 2040 ban for new petrol and diesel car sales forward to 2032 - in light of the recent findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Clean Growth Fund spearheads Government's green finance commitments
As part of Green GB Week, the UK Government has announced a new £40m venture capital fund to help bring innovative clean technologies to market.

Government launches £320m scheme to help decarbonise UK's heat networks
The Government has launched a £320m scheme to help accelerate the adoption of low-carbon heat technologies across the UK's public, private and domestic sectors, on the same week that further tweaks to the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) were criticised.

BEIS announces green buildings drive and single-use plastics crackdown
EXCLUSIVE: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has today (16 October) underlined its commitment to phasing out single-use plastics and reducing its estate emissions by 66% through two new commitments that have been posted on edie's Mission Possible Pledge Wall.

Embracing the fierce urgency of NOW: Sustainability Leaders Forum 2019 line-up revealed
Experts and innovators from some of the world's biggest businesses including Unilever, Carlsberg, Kellogg's and Tesco are among the star-studded line-up for edie's flagship Sustainability Leaders Forum, taking place in London next February.

edie partners with BEIS to drive climate action through Green GB Week
EXCLUSIVE: edie has agreed a new partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to encourage businesses to seize the opportunities of sustainability and clean growth during Green GB Week (15-19 October 2018).

UK's green watchdog will be powerless over climate change post-Brexit
Ministers are "deliberately weakening" the green watchdog that will hold the government to account after Britain leaves the EU, according to Labour's shadow Brexit minister.

Wind power drives UK renewables to 30% share of electricity mix
Almost 30% of the UK's electricity in 2017 was generated from renewables, nearly a 5% increase on the previous year, as increased solar and wind installations continue to decarbonise the UK's energy and electricity mix.

Government 'distorted figures', says Tidal Lagoon Power
The developer behind plans to build a £1.3bn tidal lagoon plant in Swansea Bay has accused the government of distorting figures used to justify its decision not to back the scheme.

Renewables hit record generation share high in UK
Renewable energy's share of electricity generation hit a new record high in the first quarter of this year despite increased demand caused by the "Beast from the East" cold snap, according to new government figures.
Birthday Honours: Sustainability leaders make Queen's 2018 list
The Queen's 2018 Birthday Honours list has recognised the outstanding achievements of a number of senior figures across the UK's sustainability and energy sectors.

World's first liquid air energy storage facility launches in Bury
The world's first grid-scale liquid air energy storage (LAES) facility opened in Bury on Tuesday (5 June) in a move that could stimulate the market for long-duration energy storage technologies.

BEIS calls for evidence on using CCS to hit 2050 emissions targets
The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee has launched an inquiry into the role carbon capture and storage (CCS) will play in helping the UK meet its 2050 goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80%, against a 1990 baseline.

Government launches £102m fund for clean energy research
The UK Government has launched a £102.5m investment programme in a bid to tackle the challenges the UK faces as the renewables revolution continues, suggesting that the nation's energy sector could soon be poised to take clean power sources mainstream.

'From coal to clean' - UK does not need to turn to gas, says WWF
The UK has no need to build new large gas-fired power stations to replace the coal plants that the government has pledged to switch off by 2025, the World Wide Fund for Nature has argued.

Onshore wind and solar could compete for subsidies in CfDs
Claire Perry has signalled that onshore wind and solar projects will be allowed to compete for subsidies in a future Contract for Difference (CfD) auction.

UK Government injects £3m into vehicle-to-grid trials
A consortium of energy firms and network operators has received a £3m funding injection from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to develop the first large-scale UK trial of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging infrastructure.

Clean Growth Strategy 'not enough' to meet UK's carbon targets, climate advisers warn
Urgent action is needed to flesh out current plans in the Clean Growth Strategy in order to meet the UK's fourth and fifth carbon budgets, the Government's climate change watchdog has cautioned.

Reshuffle: Greg Clark keeps top BEIS role as Claire Perry gains cabinet spot
Greg Clark has held onto his role as BEIS Secretary in the cabinet reshuffle after widespread speculation about his future, while his colleague Claire Perry has gained a promotion within the department.

BEIS cuts projection for greenhouse gas emissions
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has lowered its projection for greenhouse gas emissions during the fourth and fifth carbon budgets.

2017 green policy review: A year of progress and pleasant surprises
What a difference a year makes. Let us briefly cast our minds back to the halcyon days of January 2017 - who would have thought that a widely-ridiculed Jeremy Corbyn would soon become favourite to be the next PM; that a divorced mixed-raced American actress would be about to enter the Royal Family, or that a vastly experienced England cricket team would succumb to a humiliating Ashes defeat Down Under before the Boxing Day test?

UK will be 'pretty close' to reaching fifth carbon budget, says Climate Change Minister
Climate Change Minister Claire Perry today confirmed the Government will look to provide support for onshore wind, as she faced a grilling from MPs over the UK's ability to achieve its mid-term decarbonisation goals.

Industrial Strategy launched: Clean growth at core of UK's vision for economic prosperity
Business Secretary Greg Clark has today (27 November) launched the UK's much-anticipated Industrial Strategy, which sets out a vision for clean technology and innovation to play a key role in boosting the UK's long-term economic prospects.

BEIS framework consultation: Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting
Last month, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) opened a consultation on their new proposed framework for energy and carbon reporting. This process has the potential to bring environmental data smoothly into the mainstream, but could also just create further tangles in the knot that is the current energy reporting landscape.

Clean Growth Strategy 'flexibilities' could put Paris goals at risk
The aspirations of the Clean Growth Strategy have been praised as a "step in the right direction" by green economy experts, but concerns have been raised that the Government's willingness to rely on banking and borrowing from carbon budgets could put the goals of the Paris Agreement at risk.

Can government and investors make post-Brexit UK a green finance leader?
The recent Clean Growth Strategy has created a multi-billion-pound framework for low-carbon growth, but the UK Government is still keen to strengthen relationships with investors to tackle the "hard and challenging" times ahead.

Ministers offer 'scant detail' on post-Brexit green policy, MPs warn
The Government has faced criticism for providing "scant detail" on areas relating to post-Brexit energy and climate change policy, such as the UK's role in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).

Furniture retailer becomes first UK company to be fined under illegal logging laws
Designer furniture retailer Lombok has become the first UK business to be fined for breaching restrictions on the importing and sale of illegally harvested timber.

Energy cost review: Dieter Helm's study calls for radical changes to Britain's energy policy
The costs of energy for UK businesses are higher than necessary and policymakers must streamline clean energy regulations in order to deliver cheaper, decarbonised power, a major Government-backed study has concluded.

From CCS to zero waste: Clean Growth Strategy to slash emissions and boost economic growth
The Government has unveiled its highly-anticipated Clean Growth Strategy, detailing how multi-billion-pound investments into low-carbon innovations and household energy-efficiency will push the UK towards its future carbon budgets.

Productive workplaces: what we need from the Clean Growth Strategy
On 25th September, BEIS Climate Change Minister Claire Perry set out her reflections on Climate Week. She noted that we are decarbonising faster than any other G20 nation, and highlighted the opportunity for UK businesses offered by further progress in this economic transformation.

Seven things you probably didn't know about the UK's regional carbon emissions
With air quality charges and a phase-out of older, polluting vehicles set to come into effect, edie trawls new data from the Government and vehicle finance provider Moneybarn to highlight seven surprising statistics regarding local authority efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Commons launches electric vehicle inquiry
The increased demand on the grid from the mass roll-out of electric vehicles (EVS) will be under the spotlight in a new House of Commons inquiry.

£30m Gateshead research facility to test zero-carbon integrated energy solutions
Ambitions for a zero-carbon energy network are a step closer to reality, after Northern Gas Networks (NGN) launched the UK's first fully-integrated research and development facility to test low-carbon business solutions for transport, electricity, and gas.

'Historic', 'unprecedented', 'astounding': Industry reacts to falling offshore wind costs
Developers, green groups and politicians have welcomed the latest results from the UK Government's Contract for Difference (CfD) auction, which has seen the cost of offshore wind halve over the last two years to set a record low-strike price of £57.50 per MWh.

Cost of Energy Review: will it deliver lower bills?
Earlier this month, BEIS announced details of its 'independent review to ensure energy is affordable for households and businesses'. Here are my initial thoughts on whether or not it will deliver lowest cost, sustainable energy services for consumers.

It’s getting hot in here: how to create warmth without burning fossil fuels
As the UK continues to battle its way to an 80% reduction of its carbon emissions by 2050, a sinking feeling has begun to set in for those who are aware of and involved with decarbonising the UK. Our current infrastructure and policies do not provide the right basis required to transition to a low-carbon economy at speed.

Hinkley C: Labour warns of 'potential timebomb' of quitting Euratom
The government's decision to quit Euratom has put a "potential timebomb" under plans to build the Hinkley C nuclear power plant, Labour's energy spokesman has warned.

Carbon Trust chosen to lead Government's £9.2m industrial innovation platform
The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has named the Carbon Trust as the overseer of a new £9.2m accelerator programme aimed at increasing the development of cost-efficient energy innovations.

'Vote of confidence' for industrial strategy as BMW plans to build electric Mini in UK
BMW's announcement that it is to build the first fully-electric version of the iconic Mini in the UK has been welcomed as a "landmark vote of confidence" for the UK's low-carbon transport sector by Business Secretary Greg Clark.

Should energy-intensive businesses be exempt from renewable energy costs?
A move from Government to exempt Britain's energy-intensive industries from some of the costs associated with renewable energy policies has ignited a debate over whether such a move is necessary for the growth of green business.

Building support for bioenergy in the new political climate
This year, Clearfleau is building on-site bio-energy plants for dairy, food and distillery businesses and will be doing more of these in 2018, with many new plants being built in Scotland.

BEIS to invest £35m in heat innovation projects
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is to invest £35m in two heat innovation projects centred around smart systems and hydrogen gas as alternatives to conventional gas-grid connected domestic heating.
Claire Perry named as new Climate Change Minister
The ongoing Conservative ministerial reshuffle has seen Claire Perry take over from Nick Hurd as Minister of State for Climate Change, amid concern over new Defra Secretary Michael Gove's track record on green issues.

Vote for change: Why Labour has the edge over the Conservatives
The nation holds it breath once more as we prepare for yet another monumental political decision which could have seismic consequences for the future of British politics and society. But before we head to the polling booths, it is crucial to remember an issue avoided by large sections of the mainstream media: how the outcome of this General Election could significantly impact the future of our environment.

Coffee grounds and poultry litter proving a viable biomass option in the UK
As innovative waste coffee recycling firm bio-beans expands its collection service across the University of Birmingham, the UK Government has revealed that Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants using poultry litter will receive the highest tariffs under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

MPs go on the offensive over carbon capture and storage
A leading group of MPs has slammed the government's track record on carbon capture and storage (CCS).

EV batteries and robotics first in line for BEIS £1bn innovation fund
The UK Government has unveiled a £1bn investment fund for cutting-edge technologies such as self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI) and batteries for clean and flexible energy storage.

What will the 2017 General Election mean for green business?
With the nation set to undergo yet another major political decision after the shock announcement to call a snap election, edie investgates how the outcome of the poll on 8 June could impact sustainability and environmental professionals.

UK Clean Growth Plan in 'holding pattern' after snap election announcement
Climate Minister Nick Hurd has said the release of the UK's long-awaited Clean Growth Plan is now in a 'holding pattern' of new policy frameworks following Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to seek a snap general election.

ClientEarth challenges Government to publish delayed emissions strategy
Environmental law firm ClientEarth has written to climate minister Nick Hurd, challenging him to outline timeframes for the delayed emissions reduction plan and launch a consultation to engage with businesses on the matter.

Heavy industry to get £100m exemption from low-carbon levy
Energy intensive industries will see their annual bills cut by £100 million under plans to exempt them from the majority of the costs of the contracts for difference (CfD) scheme.

Brexit day: A new opportunity for Britain’s environment
The triggering of Article 50 sparks a time of uncertainty for many, and there will be a large number of us who will be directly affected by the decision to cut ties with the EU. However, I have decided to look on it as a new opportunity; an opportunity to take control of our own targets and to improve the future of sustainability in the UK and our impact on the environment.

MPs to inspect role of electric vehicles in UK Industrial Strategy
MPs from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Select Committee have today (16 March) launched a consultation into the role of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK's low-carbon transition.

MPs 'deeply worried' about gaps between UK climate targets and policy delivery
The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee has expressed its concern over the gaps between the UK's decarbonisation ambition and current policymaking, on the same day that the Treasury faced criticism from MPs for failing to improve its approach to environmental sustainability.