In a frontpage story, the Times reports that “families in Britain would be sent annual payments to offset the cost of higher gas bills and encourage a switch to green energy as part of plans under consideration in Whitehall”. It continues: “Proposals being discussed by senior government advisers would compensate households for increases in gas bills that will result from the drive to cut carbon emissions. The scheme would mean low- and middle-income families being paid a set amount each year. It would be determined by how much the government raised from new carbon taxes.” A ‘Whitehall source” tells the paper that the plan is “still at a relatively early stage and the Treasury is likely to be resistant, but it is a clear way of showing people that they are not bearing the brunt of net-zero”. Government ministers are “also examining proposals for a boiler scrappage scheme to reduce the upfront costs of converting from gas to renewable energy”, the paper says: “The government is expected to inject hundreds of millions of pounds into the new Clean Heat Grant, due to start next April. The scheme will offer people £4,000 towards the cost of green heating systems.” A government spokesperson responded that more details “will be provided in the heat and buildings strategy this year”.
Meanwhile, the Times also reports that “some of the world’s biggest energy companies have joined forces to develop carbon capture and storage technology in Teesside and the Humber in a project that could create 25,000 jobs”. The “East Coast Cluster” – which includes BP, Equinor, Shell, SSE, Drax
By The Times