Energy Ombudsman Welcomes the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 action plan

Energy Ombudsman has welcomed the publication of the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 action plan, which offers a comprehensive roadmap towards decarbonising the UK’s energy systems.

Historically, the focus on meeting this ambition has been on energy production, network connections and the technical challenges faced. While these are critical elements, we are delighted to see the UK Government recognise that “the energy consumer is at the very heart of Clean Power 2030”.

Delivering this action plan can provide substantial environmental and economic benefits, but the plan rightly recognises that, for consumers and citizens, “it will represent a transformation in their relationships with energy”.

Clean Power 2030 sets out numerous potential gains for consumers and businesses, but also spells out the crucial role consumers themselves have to play, including:

• Adopting low carbon technologies
• Engaging with new products and services
• Securing smart meters
• Managing and flexing energy demand

We were therefore pleased to see the action plan lay out commitments to consumer protection and the desire to see all consumers given the ability and confidence to engage with the change mapped out.

Clean Power 2030 sets out an exciting vision for change. As a key pillar of the energy retail market, Energy Ombudsman is ready to play its part in ensuring change happens with the consumer journey firmly in mind.

We understand the challenges consumers face in the energy sector and the critical role of consumer protections in building trust. We believe trust will be vital for supporting the widespread adoption of low carbon technologies and engaging in new products and services.

We look forward to working with the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero – offering data, insight, market intelligence and consumer experiences – to realise the ambitions of Clean Power 2030 and move the UK a further step towards reaching Net Zero by 2050.