Mission control for energy
Climate expert Chris Stark will head a new ‘Mission Control’ team to build UK clean power by 2030.
Announced by Ed Miliband, the new UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, this Mission Control will be ‘the first of its kind in government’.
It will focus on accelerating the transition away from fossil fuel markets to ‘clean’, homegrown power, to boost Britain’s energy independence and cut bills for British people.
The team will bring together industry experts and officials to troubleshoot, negotiate and clear the way for energy projects.
It will work with key energy companies and organisations, including the regulator Ofgem, the National Grid and the Electricity System Operator, to remove obstacles and identify and resolve issues.
The government claims this will speed up the connection of new power infrastructure to the grid, and deliver cleaner, cheaper power to people’s homes and businesses.
A former chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, and former Director of Energy and Climate Change in the Scottish Government, Chris Stark will bring expertise working with the energy sector to remove barriers and achieve the clean power mission.
The Energy Secretary has also asked the Electricity System Operator to provide advice on the pathway towards the 2030 ambition, with expert analysis of the location and type of new investment and infrastructure needed to deliver it.
The launch of Mission Control comes alongside the work of Great British Energy – a new company to be owned by the British people, with new infrastructure by the British people, delivering power back to the British people, the government has said.
Mr Miliband says, ‘This new Mission Control centre, benefitting from the expertise and experience of Chris Stark’s leadership – and bringing together the brightest and best in the national interest – will have a laser-like focus on delivering our mission of clean power by 2030.
'Making Britain a clean energy superpower will not only keep bills down, it will also create hundreds of thousands of good jobs, while protecting national security by keeping dictators out of our energy markets.’
