In this interview from the Future of Utilities: Energy Transition Summit, Simon Banham from the UK Department of Business and Trade shares his perspective on the UK’s role in delivering the energy transition. He talks about the importance of clear policy frameworks combining incentives and regulation to drive investor confidence, including mechanisms like Contracts for Difference for offshore wind, as well as the vital role of international partnerships, particularly with the Netherlands across the North Sea, spanning offshore wind and carbon capture and storage opportunities.
In light of ongoing global volatility that directly impacts our energy systems, Simon highlights why energy security needs to be a core driver of the transition, noting that the UK’s growing reliance on renewables has made it significantly more resilient to oil and gas price shocks than it was a decade ago.
He also covers just why events like Future of Utilities matter — keeping momentum alive at a time when transition fatigue is a very real challenge.