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Ofwat has confirmed its backing for nine water companies to progress with the investigation of innovative ideas and partnerships to help bring water to the drier parts of the country as part of a £500m programme.  The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID), a partnership made up of the water regulators, Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water...

MOSL, the market operator of the non-household retail water market, have announced the winners of the first round of the Market Improvement Fund. The fund, which opened in September, offered individuals or groups up to £150k from a £1m fund to fund projects that improve the non-household market. MOSL received twelve bids in total, equalling £1.2 million in requested funding. The...

A mass of resources produced by the Modern Energy Partners (MEP) programme, including tools and templates, have been launched to assist public sector organisations in their decarbonisation process. Decarbonising public sector estates can take several years and cover a multitude of activities, starting with developing a phased organisational decarbonisation strategy and plan covering the whole estate portfolio and then considering...

Following unprecedented surges in wholesale energy prices since the summer and with a number of firms going out of business, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee has launched an inquiry on energy pricing and the future of the energy market. The inquiry will examine the extent to which the policy and regulatory environment has contributed to the current issues...

Visits to the UK’s woodlands boost mental health and are estimated to save £185 million in treatment costs annually, a 'landmark' report published by Forest Research has found. The report, published during ‘National Tree Week’ and funded by the Forestry Commission, Scottish Forestry and the Welsh Government, is reportedly the first time the health and wellbeing benefits of the UK’s...

The Climate Change Agreements (CCA) scheme, which offers tax benefits to firms which agree to energy efficiency targets, saw a collective reduction in emissions of 6.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent during 2019 and 2020, according to a new Environment Agency report. This equates to an overall emissions reduction of 13.3% across a total of 8,705 facilities signed up...

Water regulator Ofwat has put forward options to strengthen water companies’ financial resilience in a new discussion paper. The options are designed to require companies to have 'robust' finances and to better protect customers and the environment from the adverse consequences of financial risks taken by water companies. The options also push companies to link their financial decisions to...

Today water regulator Ofwat is proposing a 'small and temporary' increase to the price caps in the business retail market. The temporary increase is intended to allow retailers to share some of the unexpected costs associated with bad debt that have arisen following the COVID-19 pandemic. These proposals do not affect household customers. The amendment would temporarily increase – over the...

Businesses, producers and governments from around the world are asked to help shape new measures in a new consultation, helping to tackle illegal deforestation associated with UK supply chains. Demonstrating the UK’s commitment to go further than ever before to clamp down on illegal deforestation, the consultation will help shape plans requiring due diligence from businesses to ensure they are...

Ahead of the fourth round of the Contracts for Difference scheme opening this month, the Scottish Affairs Committee has published the Government response to its Renewable energy in Scotland-report. One of the key recommendations of the Committee was for financial support to be guaranteed to tidal energy projects through the Contracts for Difference scheme. While the response appears to dismiss...