Latest news with #GBEnergy
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Malaysia looking to strengthen cooperation with UK in strategic sectors, says Zahid
LONDON: Malaysia is looking to strengthen its bilateral cooperation with the United Kingdom in several strategic sectors, following a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and United Kingdom Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed. In discussing closer bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and the UK, Ahmad Zahid said he expressed the Malaysia's commitment to becoming the Asean Hub for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Certification and Excellence. "The focus will be on high-value industries such as semiconductors, electric vehicles (EV), aerospace, and green energy. "I also conveyed Malaysia's intention to expand collaboration with UK academic institutions and industries to enhance TVET training, certification, and the employability of Malaysian graduates," he told reporters during his working visit to Britain on Monday (June 2). On rural development, Ahmad Zahid said the country is keen to learn from the UK's approach in transforming rural areas into sustainable economic growth zones. "We also discussed matters related to disaster management, access to clean water, and the use of new technologies to strengthen resilience against global climate change," he said. Several issues concerning the environment were also discussed especially on ways to overcome the problem of polluted rivers. "Malaysia needs to learn how the UK dealt with rehabilitating polluted rivers. "We need to take heed of how polluted rivers have become a thing of the past in the UK as we are still facing the same problem. "The first step to learning from them is to raise public awareness of the problem with polluted rivers," he said. The meeting also touched on renewable energy cooperation, including the proposal to reactivate the Asean Power Grid and explore investment opportunities in solar and green energy, he said. "The UK's establishment of GB Energy, a national clean energy company, was noted as a positive signal of its strong commitment to the green agenda. "I expressed Malaysia's readiness to be a strategic partner in this development," he said In addition, Ahmad Zahid said he also highlighted the potential of Islamic financial instruments such as sukuk to support climate finance and sustainable development cooperation. "This includes bolstering the global halal industry through the establishment of a World Halal Council and a unified halal logo, which aims to reinforce international consumer confidence in Malaysia's standards," he added. Ahmad Zahid said both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade ties, including through frameworks such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and increasing business-to-business (B2B) engagement between the private sectors of both nations. "I believe this meeting has opened new avenues to elevate Malaysia–UK cooperation to a more strategic level, especially in building a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future," he said. Ahmad Zahid also hosted a special gathering on Monday night with approximately 101 Malaysians, including 60 Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) sponsored students based in the UK, reinforcing the government's engagement with the diaspora community. He reminded the students to never forget to give back to the country once they have finished their studies. "While the salaries here (UK) might be substantially higher, returning and helping to develop the country further is priceless and much more meaningful. "We must instil in the Mara students the spirit of togetherness," he said.
Channel 4
3 days ago
- Politics
- Channel 4
Westminster often ‘doesn't connect' with voters, says Andy Burnham
The Labour Party came to power last July promising a 'decade of national renewal'. But in the seven months since their landslide election victory, there's been mixed progress on that pledge. There have been advances on workers' rights, and the setting up of GB Energy – but big questions over the government's climate and welfare plans. Poll numbers have declined dramatically, and the government is now pondering major u-turns on benefits to try and combat the rise of Reform UK. So what does that decade of renewal look like, and how do they get voters back on side? We spoke to Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor for Greater Manchester, who's been taking part in a conference today in London, and asked first off why Reform is doing so well?
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Labour 'committed' to reducing energy bills for Scots but savings 'won't happen overnight'
EXCLUSIVE: Michael Shanks told the Record he was working "every single day" to lessen the financial burden of paying for domestic gas and electricity. The UK Government remains "committed" to reducing energy bills for Scots as fast as it can, a senior MP has said. Michael Shanks, the Energy Minister, told the Record he was working "every single day" to lessen the financial burden of paying for domestic gas and electricity supplies. Keir Starmer pledged before last year's general election that household bills would fall by £300 by the end of the decade. But he has faced repeated criticism from the SNP and others over the stubbornly high cost of fuel. And the UK Government has also faced a furious backlash over its decision to means-test the winter fuel payment for older people. Shanks, the Scottish Labour MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, said reductions in fuel bills "wouldn't happen overnight" - but promised they were in the pipeline. "Everything we're doing as a Government is to drive forward reductions in energy bills," he said. "We said at the election we would bring bills down and we're committed to doing that." Shanks has been working closely with Ed Miliband, the UK Energy Secretary in the setting-up of Great British Energy, a key Labour manifesto commitment. The firm cleared its final parliamentary hurdle this week to become law. The publicly-owned company will be headquartered in Aberdeen and is expected to create hundreds of jobs in Scotland. GB Energy won't supply power directly to homes but will instead invest in new renewable technologies which will provide more sustainable energy sources in the long-term. The UK is currently overly dependent on importing natural gas to fire its power stations, which increases the public's vulnerability to fluctuations in pricing and availability of supply. Shanks said: "It's not going to happen overnight, but GB Energy plays a very important role in this. Every investment we make in renewable energy pushes gas off as the price-setter, reduces volatility, and brings bills down. "This is a long-term project that avoids price spikes like the ones people have faced in the last few years. "People's bills will start to come down. Obviously, we would love this to happen faster, but everything this Government is doing, every single day, is about moving as fast as we can to bring people's bills down." Shanks continued: "GB Energy does two things. Yes, it is about driving forward investment in the clean power projects that secure bills in the long term. "The second, really important thing is, the Labour Government believes in the question of ownership - the British public should own and benefit from the energy infrastructure we are building. "In Scotland, what that means is investment in supply chains that deliver jobs and apprenticeships right across the country." GB Energy has already contributed £4m to Scotland's Community Energy Generation Growth Fund. This means towns and villages can now bid for cash to set up renewable energy generation projects after the £8m fund reopened this week. 'Great British Energy comes from a simple idea: British people should own and benefit from our own natural resources,' UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said. 'We are giving people a stake in clean energy and delivering profits for the British people. As part of our Plan for Change, this will make us a clean energy superpower and help bring down energy bills for good.'
STV News
15-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Legislation to establish GB Energy passes through Parliament
Legislation to establish the publicly owned Great British Energy company has formally passed through the UK Parliament and into law. Scottish secretary Ian Murray called the moment a 'significant milestone' in the UK's journey towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. The firm will be headquartered in Aberdeen, with satellite offices planned for both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Juergen Maier, GB Energy's start-up chair, previously said the it would initially bring hundreds of jobs to the region. In total, more than 1,000 jobs could be created in Aberdeen once the company is up and running. 'Headquartered in Aberdeen, Great British Energy will help unlock tremendous opportunities for Scotland, particularly in harnessing our abundant renewable energy resources,' Murray said. 'Scotland is at the heart of our plans to become a clean energy superpower and today is a crucial step forward in boosting investment in green technologies and infrastructure, helping to create thousands of high-quality jobs across Scotland, drive economic growth, helping to lower bills for consumers and ensure energy security for generations to come.' The state-owned company won't supply power to homes but it will invest in new renewable technology as well as green power projects. For example, Great British Energy is investing £200m in funding for new rooftop solar power and renewable energy schemes for schools, hospitals and communities – helping them save on their energy bills. As part of this, GB Energy contributed £4m to Scotland's Community Energy Generation Growth Fund. Communities across Scotland can now bid for cash to set up renewable energy generation projects after the £8m fund reopened on Wednesday. 'Great British Energy comes from a simple idea: British people should own and benefit from our own natural resources,' UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said. 'We are giving people a stake in clean energy and delivering profits for the British people. As part of our Plan for Change, this will make us a clean energy superpower and help bring down energy bills for good.' The newly formed energy firm hosted a roundtable in Edinburgh on Thursday alongside the Scottish secretary for focus on the supply chain opportunities in Scotland. The meeting follows Great British Energy's initial £300m funding for offshore wind supply chains, which will support Britain's engineers, technicians, and welders and invest in offshore wind manufacturing components such as floating offshore platforms and cables in the UK's industrial heartlands. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
14-05-2025
- Business
- The National
I asked Aberdeen residents about GB Energy – and one thing was clear
Labour's flagship General Election policy has been cast into doubt since it was first announced. In September, the Prime Minister told Scottish Labour supporters that GB Energy would have its headquarters in Aberdeen, with two additional sites being set up in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Questions have been raised about what GB Energy actually sets out to do, the number of staff employed there, whether it will really have its own headquarters, as well as the number of jobs it will create in Scotland. READ MORE: UK Government to increase presence in Scotland with new 'energy campus' So, I headed to Aberdeen to see what people really thought about GB Energy being based in their city. But when I got there and started asking around, one thing became very clear: Barely anyone knew what I was on about. Most people looked at me with suspicion and said some variation of: 'What's GB Energy?'. 'I've got no clue what you're talking about when you say GB Energy,' one woman told me. 'It sounds like it could be Great Britain Energy or Great British or something but I don't know.' One man bluntly told me he hadn't heard of GB Energy, but still tried to guess what it was: 'Something to do with wind, is it?' READ MORE: Labour 'wasted' thousands on GB Energy logo blunder, documents show While GB Energy was 'a completely new name' to one man, he told me that he understood there was a 'resistance' in Aberdeen towards transitioning away from oil and gas. 'Aberdeen had the chance of becoming the centre of renewables for the UK, but there seems to be a lot of resistance to that,' he said. Those who had heard of GB Energy didn't seem to think very highly of it. Several people I talked to had 'plenty of thoughts, none of them airable,' as one man told me. Residents weren't hopeful about the promises made about GB Energy, such as Labour's General Election pledge that it would create 1000 new jobs in Scotland – which the organisation's boss said earlier this year could take as long as '20 years'. 'It's not really produced anything at all for the area, there's zero actual benefits as far as I can see,' one man told me. He claimed: 'They keep going on about a transition but there are no jobs in wind, it's that simple.' One woman said she had heard about GB Energy because she follows the news, but that she 'didn't know much'. 'I suppose it's about trying to understand, what is it there to deliver? That's a bit unclear,' she added. READ MORE: Labour to put 'patriotic' Union flag-inspired logo on Government-funded solar panels I also spoke with two people who worked in the energy sector, both of whom weren't optimistic about what GB Energy would do – the terms 'irrelevant', 'publicity' and 'false promises' were thrown my way. A man who worked in the oil industry said: 'It feels a bit irrelevant, like it's brought nothing. There's been a lot of false promises. I don't think it'll live up to the narrative that it's pushing. 'Working in the oil industry, I have a vested interest in this. I would have expected it to have been something that would have helped with the transition. 'We understand that there needs to be a transition, but it feels like it's just been a bit of publicity.' A woman who also works in the energy industry told me: 'I've heard a lot of the political side of it. I think it coming to Aberdeen is probably great for jobs, but it's a bit of a pawn in a wider scheme to keep other countries happy.' When asked if she believed any progress had been made with GB Energy, she replied: 'No, not really, it got announced and then nothing else.'
