UK NEWS

The UK public want renewables to be at the top of government’s plans for green growth, according to a YouGov poll for RenewableUK.YouGov asked a weighted sample of 1700 people to rank the 10 key areas outlined in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.Five times as many people supported the prioritisation of renewable energy as the top choice than any other green industry.

The UK Government has been urged to provide targeted support for the deep geothermal sector to aid the "green recovery" and help deliver a "world leading" industry.The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) and ARUP have published their Deep Geothermal Energy: Economic Decarbonisation Opportunities for the United Kingdom report which underlines the environmental and economic potential of deep geothermal.

A former landfill site is being transformed into a green energy innovation park – with work now underway at Elstow in Bedfordshire, England. Bedford Borough Council was awarded more than £1.8 million from the South East Midlands Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) Getting Building Fund in 2020, enabling plans for the all-new Bedford Green Technology and Innovation Park to become a reality.

OGUK today announced the details of its Annual Conference. The three-day virtual conference entitled ‘Industry in Transition: Driving A Net Zero Energy Future' will take place online between June 1-3, 2021. BP CEO Bernard Looney will speak on day one of the conference, with OGUK Chief Executive Deirdre Michie expected to restate the UK sector's commitment to supporting jobs now and through a green recovery.

The UK government unveiled plan to increase its offshore wind power capacity from 30GW to 40GW by 2030, in October 2020. The UK government unveiled plan to increase its offshore wind power capacity from 30GW to 40GW by 2030, in October 2020.Verdict has conducted a poll to assess whether the UK will be able to reach its goal of having adequate offshore wind farms.

This will include up to £10bn for hydrogen production and £3bn for a technology called carbon capture, usage and storage - where carbon emissions are either turned into other products such as plastics or buried.The government says the deal should cut pollution by up to 60 million tonnes by 2030, while also supporting up to 40,000 jobs across the supply chain.

Spending by oil and gas companies operating in the UK North Sea fell to the lowest levels since 2004 last year as they concentrated on preserving cash during the pandemic, while production from the more than half a century-old basin has re-entered “longer-term” decline.

If approved, the 37,000-panel extension would result in 20% of the plant's energy coming from all onsite renewables. Nissan has announced plans for expansion to renewable energy generation at its plant in Sunderland, UK. The company claims that the existing wind turbines and solar farm, the proposed 20MW solar farm extension represents a step in Nissan's path to carbon neutrality.

The UK Government’s Budget announcement has legislated for the creation of an infrastructure bank and green finance schemes. On Wednesday, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a package of business measures. These included a raise in corporation tax set for two years’ time. Until then, the UK Government will allow companies to deduct 130% of their investments from their taxes.

Ocean Infinity and MMT announced an acquisition to bring together MMT’s expertise and track record as a marine survey and data analytics provider and Ocean Infinity's robotic technology and operational expertise. Following the acquisition by Ocean Infinity, MMT will continue to operate under the MMT brand. The enlarged group will have a headcount of over 300 people and will operate from an expanded geographical footprint with offices in the US, Sweden, UK, Singapore and Norway.

Royal Dutch Shell will not raise salaries for most of its employees this year as it looks to save cash amid an overhaul of the company. There will be as many as 9,000 job losses over the next two years, with cuts already announced in Netherlands, UK and Malaysia. In July, Chief Financial Officer Jessica Uhl told analysts that halted bonus payouts would save the company about $1billion.

The leading representative body for UK oil and gas has today announced appointment of a new co-chair to its board, Arne Gürtner, Senior Vice President UK & Ireland Offshore at Equinor, as the sector focuses on industry’s recovery whilst meeting net-zero targets for 2021. Arne leads organisation supporting Equinor’s UK and Ireland upstream activities, which includes Mariner development and Rosebank.

Neptune Energy and its joint venture partners bp and JAPEX, announced drilling has commenced on Seagull project in the UK Central North Sea. The Gorilla VI (JU-248) jack-up rig, operated by Valaris, will drill four wells for development over the course of drilling campaign which is expected to last 18 months. Seagull is expected to produce 50,000 boe/day (gross).

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed the “incredible things” being done by India in the solar energy sector as he warned that the emergency facing the world from climate change was far more destructive than even the coronavirus pandemic

The UK’s offshore oil and gas sector has announced plans to cut half of its emissions over the next decade. The latest move comes as the fossil fuel sector in the country aims to transition to a net-zero emissions basin by 2050, as part of its commitment to address climate change and help decarbonize the global economy.

UK development and production company, Independent Oil & Gas has awarded the core project phase one well management contract to Petrofac. The AIM-traded firm said the award followed a competitive tendering process, and the approval last month of the phase one field development plan by the UK Oil and Gas Authority (OGA). The contract scope covered planning, execution and close-out phases of the phase one drilling programme.

OVO Energy, which bought the household supply business of SSE for £500m just months ago, has announced plans to slash 2,600 jobs. The company said its integration plans, including a drive for digital and investment in a zero-carbon future, had been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. OVO said it had initially expected the mergers to have taken a number of years but it hoped to achieve the cuts through volunteers.

Oil supermajor, BP Plc yesterday reported a slump in its earnings for the first quarter, sliding over the challenging circumstances generated due to declining oil prices and collapse in the demand. The British energy giant recorded a net loss of $4.37 billion from a profit of $2.93 billion for the quarter that ended March 31. However, BP has still maintained its quarterly dividend at 10.25 cents a share.