Latest news with #Ecotricity
The Herald Scotland
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland could become first UK nation to criminalise ecocide
The legislation could see individuals found guilty jailed for up to 20 years. Senior executives at companies where offences occur with their consent or neglect would also be held liable. As well as custodial sentences, convictions could lead to publicity orders, mandatory environmental remediation and unlimited financial penalties. READ MORE: Ms Lennon pointed to pollution in waterways and the legacy of contamination from heavy industry as examples of the damage the Bill seeks to tackle. Supporters argue the legislation fills a gap in the statute book and would bring Scotland in line with over a dozen countries and the European Union, which recently revised its Environmental Crime Directive to include conduct comparable to ecocide. An open letter urging MSPs to "seize this historic opportunity" and back the Bill has been signed by more than 100 figures from politics, law, science, business and civil society. Signatories include journalist George Monbiot, actor Will Attenborough, KC and author Philippe Sands, Ecotricity founder Dale Vince, and former Finnish deputy prime minister Pertti Salolainen. Their letter states: "With this Bill, Scotland positions itself at the forefront of a global shift in environmental justice. "It joins a rising number of jurisdictions turning bold words into binding law — strengthening protections at home while helping to shape emerging international norms that reflect both scientific reality and moral necessity. "The Ecocide (Scotland) Bill sends a clear message: mass destruction of nature is beyond unacceptable — it's criminal. With political will, the law can and must align with public conscience." Ms Lennon said the Bill would send a strong message to polluters. 'I am delighted to be publishing the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament today, on a strong foundation of cross-party and public support,' she said. 'With ecocide law, Scotland can take bold and necessary action against severe environmental damage. 'Environmental destruction is not some distant issue for the people of Scotland — it directly threatens health, livelihoods and the future of entire communities. 'From sewage spilling into waterways to toxic pollution left behind by heavy industry, the damage is real and ongoing. 'Ecocide is a crime against the common good, and those who commit widespread or irreversible harm should be held to account. 'This is a vital opportunity for Scotland to become the first UK nation to criminalise ecocide and signal that the destruction of nature will not be tolerated here.' Monica Lennon's ecocide Bill has cross-party support (Image: Gordon Terris) Mr Vince told The Herald that ecocide should be treated with the same legal gravity as other serious crimes. 'For me, it is a great idea — that it should be illegal to purposely, knowingly and deliberately cause harm to the environment, especially the kind of harm that endures for generations, is perfectly sensible. 'We have not had such a law, and I guess that is why I am backing it as well. And you can see the harm being done around the world in pursuit of money, because there is no law to stop people doing that kind of stuff. 'We have environment regulations and stuff like that, but no actual law that says it is against the law to impact the environment.' He said Scotland could lead the way and send a message to the UK Government: 'Westminster needs a bit of encouragement to be bold on the environment." Jojo Mehta, chief executive and co-founder of Stop Ecocide International, said: 'This Scottish Bill is a striking example of how national action can drive global change. 'Around the world, ecocide law is gaining ground as a vital tool — not just to punish environmental destruction, but to prevent it. 'While the ultimate goal is to have ecocide recognised as a serious crime globally, national laws play a crucial role in legitimising that goal, building momentum and providing accountability now. 'They help shape legal norms that are increasingly being reflected in international frameworks. 'From the new Council of Europe Convention, which enables states to prosecute acts 'tantamount to ecocide', to the formal proposal by Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa to make ecocide a core international crime, momentum is accelerating. 'Scotland's move adds meaningful weight to this shift, reinforcing the growing global consensus that mass destruction of nature must be treated as a crime, in law and in principle.' Scrutiny of the Bill is expected to begin before the summer recess, with a vote due later this year. If passed, the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill would require the Scottish Government to report on its operation after five years, including data on prosecutions, convictions and the law's environmental and financial impact.
The Independent
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
What is Ed Miliband's ‘postcode pricing' plan for energy bills and how would it work?
The government is weighing up a change to the way UK households and businesses pay for electricity, where homes in the South of England could pay more than those in Scotland. Zonal electricity pricing, which is being dubbed 'postcode pricing' for bill payers, splits the UK into parts with different electricity rates for each. In Scotland, renewable power, including wind and hydroelectric, amply provides for all the nation's power needs, and prices there could drop significantly. Meanwhile, in the South and Midlands of the UK, peak power demand requires far more fossil fuels to be used, which would mean higher prices compared to Scotland. Proponents of the plan insist that it could slash energy prices for everyone and end an effective subsidy which parts of the UK provide to the south, where wind and solar farms are scarce. But critics say the plan does not solve the underlying problem which plagues the UK's grid, that household prices are tied to those of expensive natural gas. They also point out that prices for homes in the south could go up. But Energy Secretary Ed Miliband insisted the reforms were far from finalised and that bill hikes were out of the question. He told LBC: 'I'm not going to take a decision that is going to raise prices in some parts of the country. That is not what I'm going to do. 'Honestly, this is about reforms to cut prices for people, that is my absolute bottom line here.' Campaigners have long called for a faster uptake of green energy and also more insulation for draughty homes in order to cut bills. In theory, green energy is cheaper than fossil fuels because the fuel - wind and solar power - are both free, while oil, gas and coal are expensive to extract, process and transport. In practice, because wind and solar energy only come during sunny and windy periods, the grid needs to top itself up with gas-fuelled electricity. This costs a lot more and is used as a gauge for domestic electricity pricing. Dale Vince, the green entrepreneur who set up the energy firm Ecotricity, told the Today programme that he thought zonal pricing was a 'terrible idea'. He warned that in the areas where most people live in the UK, such as Southern England, 'people will pay more'. 'That's a gift for the people who say we can't afford green energy,' he said. What is 'zonal pricing'? Zonal pricing is where different areas of the UK pay different rates for electricity. The idea behind this is that it is unfair for those who live close to wind and solar farms which provide cheap, low-carbon energy to pay the same as those who live far away. Proponents of zonal pricing, such as Greg Jackson, the boss of Octopus Energy, say this would lower bills for everyone since more wind power could be used. On particularly windy days suppliers are sometimes paid to switch wind generation off. This is because the grid was designed for coal-fired power stations and it needs to be overhauled, Mr Jackson. Smaller zones could be priced using renewables instead. How would it work? The UK would be divided into zones. If you live in a zone with more renewable power generation, you and your business will pay less for electricity. This will reward those who support cheap, green energy projects in their area and could prove a boon for Scottish and northern English manufacturing, as the UK suffers the highest industrial electricity prices in Europe. Many of the smaller zones would use a much higher percentage of renewable energy. How much would household energy bills be affected? This is still unknown. It would depend on where these zones are and how, precisely, the benefits of cheaper renewable power are calculated. Would southerners pay more? Homes in the South of England would pay more than everyone else in this scenario, but it is yet to be decided if they will pay more than they currently pay. This is largely down to whether zonal energy is paired with other reforms in electricity pricing, which could cut prices for everyone. Recent surges in electricity prices have been down to high natural gas prices. Natural gas supplies less than a third of UK power with low-carbon sources such as wind, solar, hydro and nuclear power providing more than half. But because gas-powered stations can be quickly turned on to pick up the slack on windless days or when demand surges, they attract higher prices, driving up the costs for all users. A reform to this system could help cut costs for most customers. How would it come into effect? The government would have to give this plan a green light. Zonal pricing is one idea being considered within a broader review of the UK's electricity market, which was kicked off by the last government.
The Independent
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Miliband confirms he could charge homes in the South more for electricity
Ed Miliband has confirmed the government is looking at plans to charge homes in the South more for electricity after critics dubbed the plans a 'postcode lottery'. The 'zonal pricing' system would mean different regions are charged different rates for energy, with prices being determined by supply and demand in each area. With Scotland benefitting from greater wind supplies, its likely that homes in the South could face higher bills as a result of the scheme. The energy secretary said ministers will 'make a calm and considered decision' on the issue, arguing the government's main priority is to 'cut bills' in a 'way that's fair'. But the plans have been dubbed 'madness' by Labour donor and eco-tycoon Dale Vince, who warned it would create 'complexity, delays and unfairness'. Asked about the reports, the energy secretary told Sky News: 'This is a very complicated issue that you're referring to that my department is looking at around so called 'zonal pricing'. 'Look, I'll be honest with you, we're still looking at the details of this, which is something we've got to really, really get right, and we're studying in detail the effects. 'Look, my bottom line here is we want to cut bills, and we want to do so in a way that's fair, and we want to make sure that happens, and that's my test for any reforms that we make. 'There's very strong views on both sides of industry, because you'll probably have gathered on this. People are fighting it out. We're going to take this, make a calm and considered decision on this.' Mr Vince, founder of clean energy company Ecotricity, warned the plans would create a 'postcode lottery', telling The Independent: 'Tens of millions of Britons could end up paying more for their energy than they do now. It makes no sense when Labour's mission is about cutting bills for all rather than a few. 'Zonal pricing is being presented as a solution but it's madness. Fragmenting our energy market into 12 different regions would create complexity, delays and unfairness. 'Then there's the idea that businesses will relocate to where most of the renewable energy is, like the north of Scotland, because they can get cheaper energy there. I mean the chances of it happening are slim, and then there's the timeframe within which it would happen - we don't have that much time.' He added: 'I think this plan has been written up in a windowless room with no connection to the real world. 'If the government is serious about lowering energy bills, we have far more sensible and effective options - chief among them 'breaking the link' between the price of gas and the price of all our electricity.' RenewablesUK is also urging the government to rule out introducing zonal pricing, saying it could be incredibly disruptive to investment. 'The government has a golden opportunity to secure a record amount of new wind and solar farms in this year's auction for new projects, but we can only achieve this if we get the right framework in place to attract billions in private investment,' said chief executive Jane Cooper.
Sky News
06-04-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Eco-tycoon Vince weighs sale of solar energy project
The energy group founded by Dale Vince, the eco-tycoon, is kicking off a hunt for investors in a solar park which is expected to become one of Britain's biggest renewable energy projects. Sky News understands that Ecotricity, Mr Vince's company, has hired KPMG to explore talks with prospective investors or buyers for the project at Heckington Fen in Lincolnshire. The development was approved by Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, earlier this year, and when completed it is expected to generate roughly 600MW of solar power. It has been designated a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project by the government. Heckington Fen will also provide 400MW of battery storage capacity. According to documents circulated to potential bidders, Ecotricity is prioritising the sale of 100% of the project, but is open to retaining a minority stake. The company wants to complete a deal during the third quarter of the year. Responding to an enquiry from Sky News, Mr Vince said: "Heckington Fen is a fabulous opportunity; it's also a massive one, possibly the biggest onshore renewable initiative in Britain. "The project is shovel-ready with a grid connection in 2028 - something which is increasingly hard to find these days. "Whilst this is a great project which is going to go ahead, the sums of money required to build this alone in a short timeframe, means we're looking for investors or partners to help make this happen."
Telegraph
23-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Green energy tycoons go to war over a new North-South divide
Some experts have warned the reorganisation needed for zonal pricing would delay decarbonisation and disrupt the expansion of the grid. Jackson, however, believes it would actually help by forcing developers to build wind and solar closer to places where demand is highest. For example, closer to England's power-hungry cities rather than in Scotland. Such arguments may make economic sense but they are not without political risk, particularly if it means carpeting the English countryside with renewables. Despite this, Jackson is adamant that the pros outweigh the cons, rejecting Vince's view that zonal pricing is an unnecessary distraction. An Octopus spokesman accused Ecotricity of parading the 'familiar rhetoric of other incumbents with vested interests in maintaining the status quo'. 'But even they can't argue against the hard truth,' they added. 'The UK has some of the highest electricity prices in the world, with severe impacts on people and businesses. Our current electricity market design is failing consumers and is no longer fit for purpose. ' Industry-wide debate Jackson's view has some powerful backers, including Ofgem, the energy regulator. In January Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem chief executive, told MPs: 'This is not a unanimous issue, but we are, broadly, very supportive of moving to a system that has zonal pricing. We think it improves efficiency. There are ways in which you can deal with some of the regional inequalities that might result.' Neso, the National Energy System Operator, whose job it is to run Britain's electricity networks, is also keen. 'We are in favour of zonal pricing,' said a spokesman. However, there is far less agreement across the rest of the industry. Energy UK, the trade body for power suppliers, counts Octopus as a member yet has come down against zonal pricing. Renewable developers also largely back Vince. In a joint statement, Solar Energy UK, which represents solar developers, and Renewable UK, the wind industry trade body, said: 'We remain sceptical about the claimed benefits of a zonal system.' Others argue that the battle over charging policies has forgotten one key group: billpayers. Jackson suggests the savings will lie in the infrastructure: invisible to consumers but offering suppliers big rewards. 'The major benefit of zonal pricing is not that we expect households in different regions to behave differently,' he says. 'It's things like the interconnectors, the huge grid-scale batteries, the stuff at the backend, it will all behave very differently, saving everyone a fortune.' However, for Ecotricity – a much smaller company without the sophisticated technology underpinning Octopus – zonal pricing is not worth the hassle. 'Zonal pricing would be an incredibly complex trading arrangement, increasing our costs for sure, along with risk and uncertainty,' says Vince. 'I'm just surprised Greg's chosen this incredibly complex thing to lobby for that's so fraught with uncertainty.'
