The government has announced the members of a new dedicated taskforce charged with improving the energy efficiency of the nation’s homes and buildings and with it, cutting the country’s energy use.
The new Energy Efficiency Taskforce is chaired by Minister Lord Callanan and NatWest Chief executive officer Alison Rose, and has a clear target to support cutting energy use in the UK down by 15 per cent by 2030, from 2021 levels.
The membership of this group includes Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission Sir John Armitt, head of leading housebuilder Barratt Developments, David Thomas and leading experts from the University of Salford, the Green Industries Council and National Energy Action to name but a few.
The Energy Efficiency Taskforce has been established to support a step change in the reduction of energy demand through accelerated delivery of energy efficiency measures across the economy.
The Taskforce will devise a workplan to help reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 2030 across domestic and commercial buildings and industrial process - while cutting bills and helping push down inflation. This will include accelerating household insulation and boiler upgrades. As the work of the Taskforce progresses, it will also look at ways of drawing on the expertise of a wider group of stakeholders.
Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:
“We have scoured the UK’s industry to amass a top team of the best and brightest, and I am excited to learn from the unique expertise that each member brings to the table.
We firmly believe the will of people and industry to drive down energy use is there, but we need to put in place the right mechanisms to channel this. That means smart investment, effective engagement, and building the right skills base - and this is precisely what the Taskforce will be focussing on.”
Alison Rose, Energy Efficiency Taskforce co-chair and Chief executive officer of NatWest Group, added:
“I am delighted to welcome experts from across industry, academia and government to the Energy Efficiency Taskforce. Addressing the climate crisis is a team sport, and building vital partnerships between the public and private sector is key to tackling this challenge. The Taskforce is bringing together a breadth of experience and expertise from a range of sectors and we will work together to deliver concrete proposals that help support the ambition of reducing total UK energy demand from 2021 levels by 15% by 2030.
"Our focus on reducing energy use across homes, commercial buildings and industrial processes is important not only for cutting carbon emissions but also for delivering greater energy security and lower bills for people, families and businesses up and down the UK.”
Membership
The Energy Efficiency Taskforce Steering Group is comprised of the following individuals:
Co-Chairs:
Additional Steering Group members: