The UK Government's newly appointed Secretary
of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd has taken over from previous
Secretary of State Ed Davey in Monday's reshuffle. Amber rudd has inherited
a desk full of issues to address, spanning from the emerging Swansea Tidal
Lagoon to the approaching UN Climate Summit in Paris.
UK Energy Minister, Matthew Hancock will be supporting Mrs Rudd to maintain
energy security within the UK and to assist the task of meeting international
carbon targets at an affordable price for the consumer.
Back in March 2015, Mr Hancock made a speech to the NOF Conference in Newcastle,
he commented: "We’re
supporting significant levels of offshore wind deployment now to enable
industry to drive down costs, invest and innovate so that offshore wind
is well positioned to expand in the 2020s and beyond."
Both Mr Hancock and Mrs Rudd are supporters of offshore wind, just as their
previous Secretary of State Ed Davey, suggesting a positive future for
offshore wind. Mrs Rudd told Business green that she is a strong believer
of Margaret Thatchers views on climate change and the view that businesses
and markets are the movement of change for the UK. Although Mrs Rudd is
a supporter of Offshore wind, it seems that she has little experience in
the department.
The UN Climate Summit which is taking
place in December brings together world leaders from not just governments
but businesses, finance and civil society to all help make a change to
the worlds climate. Mrs Rudd will be attending the summit to deliver what
the UK's actions will be against climate change.
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Both RenewableUK and Renewable Energy Association (REA) made comments
towards the change in Secretary, RenewableUK has said:
“We welcome the positive commitments which she has made on reducing carbon
emissions, tackling climate change and protecting the environment. We are
looking forward to working with her and showing how all the technologies
we represent: onshore wind, offshore wind and wave & tidal energy,
can help achieve these aims, as well as providing energy security and financial
growth for the UK”
Just last week, RenewableUK were urging the UK Government to act swiftly
in the Renewables department, to attract investment and continue to build
on offshore and onshore wind along with tidal and wave. This investment
is key to seeing smaller, newly developed industries such as tidal and
wave become commercialised.
REA has also spoken out about how they look forward to working with Amber:
"We look forward to continue working with her on some of the pressing
challenges ahead, ensuring we meet our targets in the most efficient way,
laying the foundations for post 2020 and making sure the UK is leading
the way in green jobs and cost effective renewables.”
Along with this appointment, Andrea Leadsom will become Minister of State
at DECC. Andrea sticks with the Tories decision to oppose all onshore wind
farms, she strongly opposes the construction of all subsidiary developments.
Mrs Leadsom recently completed the refusal of an onshore wind farm to be
built in her local county of South Northamptonshire. The project was expected
to generate 10MW with 5, 2MW turbines installed. Mrs Leadsom hopes its
the end of an era for onshore wind in her county.
Mrs Rudd has been a member of Parliament for Hastings & Rye from May
2010 to April 2015, Amber stood for six key policies that she believed
were of importance; Transport, business growth, educational standards,
improved health care, fishing industry and tourism. Along with energy ministers,
Mrs Rudd will now be constructing vital policies to shape the UK's energy
sector and to bring newly developed industries such as tidal and wave to
commercialisation.
