Weekly Debrief

New charging site with capacity for 16 heavy goods vehicles will help slash emissions for operators passing through one of the UK's busiest ports

United Downs power plant in Cornwall is the first in the UK to generate electricity from subsurface heat and produce lithium for use in car batteries

Ofgem says about 140 proposed projects, driven by AI use, could require more power than current peak demand The amount of power being sought by new datacentre projects in Great Britain would exceed the national current peak electricity consumption, according to an industry watchdog. Ofgem said about 140 proposed datacentre schemes, driven by use of artificial intelligence, could require 50 gigawatts of electricity – 5GW more than the country’s current peak demand. Continue reading...

Energy giant to work with regional installers to help businesses deploy on-site renewables and cut their energy bills by up to 50 per cent

French energy giant announces deal to acquire UK's largest electricity distribution company

First reactor at 3.2GW nuclear power project in Somerset now expected to start commissioning in 2030, at a further cost of €2.5bn to EDF

French utility to acquire owner of electricity cables and power lines across London, south-east and east of England A French utility has agreed to buy the owner of the electricity cables and power lines across London, the south-east and the east of England in a deal worth £10.5bn. Paris-headquartered Engie said on Wednesday that it had struck a deal to buy UK Power Networks (UKPN) in a “major milestone” for the company’s ambition to become the “best energy transition utility”. Continue reading...

CBI and Energy UK report finds 40% of firms have cut investment as electricity costs remain far above pre-Ukraine levels The UK is at risk of losing its status as a major manufacturing centre after a sharp rise in energy prices that has forced about 40% of businesses to cut back investment, according to a report by the CBI and Energy UK. In a stinging message to ministers, the report said British businesses – from chemical producers to pubs and restaurants – were being undermined by a failure to cap prices and upgrade the UK’s ageing gas and electricity networks. Continue reading...

Space-based solar offers a constant source of low-carbon power but faces hurdles

Without careful handling, AI power demand could push up electricity prices and sink net zero plans

GEL among British groups racing to realise projects as west looks to secure local supplies of critical minerals

Shell, BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and TotalEnergies saw collective profits jump by 125 per cent following Russia's invasion, according to a new investigation from Global Witness

This is a business for the Sizewell C (SZC) project nuclear power station.

New developments mean the Swedish SMR company’s technology could be ready for serial production ”in the early 2030s,” CFO Mikael Fraenkel tells EnergyWatch.

A new mini power station and lithium extraction facility near Redruth are set to bolster green energy and create jobs Just outside the perimeter fence stand the hulking remains of grand stone engine houses, a testament to Cornwall’s proud tin and copper mining history. But inside is a shiny new mini power station and lithium extraction plant that is once again accessing rich underground resources in the far south-west of Britain. Continue reading...

Traditional way of monitoring health of wind turbine blades no longer cuts it, says industry leader, claiming new method can cut repair costs tenfold

Traditional way of monitoring health of wind turbine blades no longer cuts it, says industry leader, claiming new method can cut repair costs tenfold

Geothermal Energy Lithium has delivered the UK’s first-ever geothermal electricity 24/7 from its United Downs plant in Cornwall.

Google aims to scale up next generation technologies like geothermal, nuclear and long duration energy storage this year, Lucia Tian, the company’s head of advanced energy technologies said at the BloombergNEF Summit in San Francisco.

French utility to purchase UK Power Networks from Hong Kong’s CK Infrastructure Holdings

Energy UK and CBI urge Ministers to work with businesses to identify reforms that can curb energy costs, as fresh warnings are issued over soaring data centre electricity demand

Deadline for entries to the UK's most prestigious green business awards falls on Friday 27th February Businesses, individuals, and projects keen to make the shortlist for the UK Green Business Awards 2026 have just one more day to submit their entries ahead of the official deadline on Friday 27th February. The finalists will then be announced next month, ahead of the awards dinner and glittering awards ceremony, which will take place during London Climate Action Week on the evening of Wednesday 24th June. The flagship awards - which are now in the their fourth year and act as the successor to the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards that first launched in 2010 - are expected to bring together over 600 senior figures from across the UK's burgeoning green economy, providing a unique opportunity to network with colleagues and showcase the many achievements of leading green businesses. "The UK Green Business Awards are always a wonderful celebration of a green economy that continues to go from strength to strength - and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever," said BusinessGreen editor-in-chief James Murray. "The awards always offer a great opportunity to showcase the many leading businesses, innovative projects, and inspiring individuals who are working to build an economy that is more sustainable and prosperous for all. "Many of the finalists at the awards over the past decade have gone to on to enjoy remarkable success, underscoring how green business models and clean tech innovations are reshaping the economy, bolstering resilience, and driving commercial returns. We'd urge all companies working to advance the green economy to enter this year's awards and seize the chance to highlight and celebrate the remarkable work they are doing." Companies and individuals considering submitting an entry to the awards have a wide range of categories to consider, including consultancy of the year, fast track company of the year, ESG investor of the year, innovation of the year, small business of the year, and the coveted company of the year. Companies, projects, and individuals looking for advice on what makes a strong entry can check out BusinessGreen's recent guide and webinar, where judges offered their tips on what they are looking for in a submission. This year's UK Green Business Awards are delivered with support from our sponsors Osborne Clarke and Radley Yeldar and partners London Climate Action Week and the Great Big Green Week. You can check out further details on sponsorship opportunities for the UK Green Business Awards and Women in Green Business Awards 2026, which will take place this autumn, through the awards website.

Latest estimates come as government announces further £4m to help NHS England roll out more EV chargers for ambulances and other medical vehicles

Ofgem cap drops by 7% to £1,641 a year for consumers’ average gas and electricity costs Business live – latest updates Annual energy bills will fall by £117 for millions of households from April after Rachel Reeves’s plan to cut £150 a year from bills was partly foiled by rising costs. The energy regulator Ofgem’s quarterly cap will fall by 7% a year for the three months from April to £1,641 for the average combined gas and electricity bill in Great Britain, from £1,758 under the current January-March cap. Continue reading...

Unprecedented levels of customer debt and arrears are threatening the future of the retail energy market and will continue to escalate without coordinated intervention across Government and industry, Energy UK has warned. The sector trade association’s latest report, Energy debt: Everyone pays, reveals the scale of household energy debt, which has more than doubled over the last three years to reach £5.5 billion. … Read more

Deal to collaborate on atomic energy, AI and quantum computing was paused as part of wider trade wrangling

Council teams up with Deborah Meaden backed British start-up Kerbo Charge to offer residents without off-street parking access to at home charging

Operator says milestone makes it the largest zero-emission bus fleet operator in the UK

Yorkshire plant has been criticised for taking material from some of British Columbia’s most environmentally important forests The owner of Drax power plant has started reducing the amount of Canadian wood pellets it burns, and will stop burning trees from British Columbia entirely within the next year. The FTSE 250 company Drax Group said its Canadian wood pellet plants, which once supplied millions of tonnes of biomass to be burnt in its North Yorkshire power plant, had cost the company almost £200m in financial impairments last year. Continue reading...

Watson Farley & Williams has advised RWE on its contract with Vestas for the supply of turbines to its Vanguard West offshore wind project.