As the UK government convened the International Energy Security Summit last week, few could have predicted just how timely the event would be. Against a backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, geopolitical tensions, and a worsening global economic outlook exacerbated by President Trump's trade war policies, the Summit offered a rare and critical opportunity for international cooperation. No fewer than 50 leaders from the energy industry and 60 government representatives attended, eager to find shared solutions.  We saw the necessity of these discussions writ large this week as Spain and Portugal were hit by an unprecedented energy blackout, underscoring just how vulnerable even advanced energy systems are to disruption in an increasingly complex and interdependent global energy landscape.

The Summit also provided Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with a platform to reiterate his, “vision of energy security and abundance from cheap, homegrown, low carbon power”; a vision of political importance given the Conservatives’ recent abandonment of the cross-bench consensus on Net Zero targets and Reform UK’s declared fondness for fossil fuels.

So, in the c.300 days since he has been in charge of Britain’s energy, just how far has Ed Miliband got towards delivering that clean power vision? What progress has been made across three vital areas: system planning, investment, and supply chain resilience — and what does this means for businesses and policymakers?

Energy System Planning and Reform

Since the changing of the guard in Westminster last July, many different balls have been set in motion. The energy system, once a set of overarching frameworks inviting private companies to build wherever they thought best, is now more centrally planned. The newly established National Energy System Operator (NESO) is guiding the market on what infrastructure build is needed where, in pursuit of the 2030 Clean Power Mission – which would see 95% of all electricity generated from low carbon sources. In 2026, NESO will also publish the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan out to 2050.

The government has taken steps to eradicate connection queues and planning backlogs that have clogged up the system for years, all designed to facilitate the doubling of onshore wind and tripling of solar and offshore wind generation capacity required by 2030.  The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, now in the Commons, is intended to make it easier for new nuclear plants, including the small modular reactors, to be built, supported by the new Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce.

Investment Momentum

Great British Energy is being seeded with initial investments of £200mn in solar rooftop investment for schools and hospitals and a £10mn community energy scheme. The Crown Estate now has widened powers to borrow and invest and can play a larger role in supporting developments offshore. The second round of the Hydrogen Allocation Process, is underway, with hydrogen recognised as a potential contributor to long duration energy storage, and low carbon dispatchable power for heavy industry. 

It will undoubtedly take time to evaluate whether these policy changes have succeeded in delivering the clean power vision. CBI research released in February 2025 revealed that net zero-related activity in 2024 generated £23 billion in investment and foreign direct funding, with sector growth triple the UK average. Since July 2024, the government reports £43.7 billion in private investments into clean energy industries. The sector’s vital signs are strong.

Building supply chains and skills

Of course, infrastructure and investment alone are not enough. Robust supply chains and a highly skilled labour market are critical too. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan addresses skills development, while £300 million has been earmarked for UK offshore wind supply chains. But more effort, including on the international front will be required to address these challenges in the coming years - the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that global renewable capacity is expected to grow by 2.7 times by 2030 putting increasing pressure on supply chains and access to critical minerals.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, warned that "there is no national security without energy security," highlighting new vulnerabilities linked to clean energy supply chains. In response, Ed Miliband advocated for a more collaborative approach to supply chains, energy generation, and grid development — Miliband clearly thinks that the clean energy transition cannot be achieved through market forces alone.

The UK’s clean power vision is ambitious, and as the political pressure increases from Opposition parties, politically urgent. Ministers need investors to step up, have they given them the confidence to do so?

If you would like to discuss what all this means for your business, contact publicaffairs@cardewgroup.com today.