Chaitanya Kumar
@chaitanyakumar.bsky.social
Campaigner and policy wonk on all things climate and energy. Current head of economy and environment at the New Economics Foundation. Formerly at Green Alliance and 350.org
Delivery will always be a challenge but this entire policy area needed a refresh and a boost and today's announcement is very good.
Well done to @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social for leading this at DESNZ for a good part of 2025.
Well done to @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social for leading this at DESNZ for a good part of 2025.
January 21, 2026 at 8:04 AM
Delivery will always be a challenge but this entire policy area needed a refresh and a boost and today's announcement is very good.
Well done to @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social for leading this at DESNZ for a good part of 2025.
Well done to @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social for leading this at DESNZ for a good part of 2025.
See this testimony of a household that benefits from solar + battery + heat pump, from my colleague @alchap.bsky.social . His home is warmer, cheaper, cleaner and more comfortable. neweconomics.org/2025/12/gree...
Green tech made my home more comfortable and cheaper to live in
But it’s not accessible enough for those who would benefit most
neweconomics.org
January 21, 2026 at 8:04 AM
See this testimony of a household that benefits from solar + battery + heat pump, from my colleague @alchap.bsky.social . His home is warmer, cheaper, cleaner and more comfortable. neweconomics.org/2025/12/gree...
A visible shift is the focus on clean tech rather than insulation and that is both a reflection of the lobbying by several groups and a litany of failures in insulating homes. Slashing the ECO insulation scheme a case in point. This is good for decarb and bills but not the most efficient outcome.
January 21, 2026 at 8:04 AM
A visible shift is the focus on clean tech rather than insulation and that is both a reflection of the lobbying by several groups and a litany of failures in insulating homes. Slashing the ECO insulation scheme a case in point. This is good for decarb and bills but not the most efficient outcome.
also pleased to see several reccos from our work @neweconomics.bsky.social reflected here. We produced a blueprint for home retrofit last Jan with 5 key recommendations and almost all of them are being delivered. See our report here- neweconomics.org/2025/01/a-bl...
January 21, 2026 at 8:04 AM
also pleased to see several reccos from our work @neweconomics.bsky.social reflected here. We produced a blueprint for home retrofit last Jan with 5 key recommendations and almost all of them are being delivered. See our report here- neweconomics.org/2025/01/a-bl...
Reposted by Chaitanya Kumar
The rising cost of finance played a big role in the higher prices we saw at this auction.
But this is something the government can and should start to address. @chaitanyakumar.bsky.social explains.
neweconomics.org/2026/01/maki...
But this is something the government can and should start to address. @chaitanyakumar.bsky.social explains.
neweconomics.org/2026/01/maki...
Making progress on clean power, but at what price?
The latest offshore wind auction secured a record 8.4GW of new capacity, but the cost of finance has pushed up prices
neweconomics.org
January 20, 2026 at 11:15 AM
The rising cost of finance played a big role in the higher prices we saw at this auction.
But this is something the government can and should start to address. @chaitanyakumar.bsky.social explains.
neweconomics.org/2026/01/maki...
But this is something the government can and should start to address. @chaitanyakumar.bsky.social explains.
neweconomics.org/2026/01/maki...
Overall, a great story for UK clean power today but I fear the government's going to get a lot of flak for the price. Policy design MUST change at the next auction round in the coming months. You'll see more on that from my colleagues @neweconomics.bsky.social soon.
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Overall, a great story for UK clean power today but I fear the government's going to get a lot of flak for the price. Policy design MUST change at the next auction round in the coming months. You'll see more on that from my colleagues @neweconomics.bsky.social soon.
By getting the National Wealth Fund and the Bank of England to get rid their orthodox approaches and actually invest in offshore wind and find ways to reduce cost of capital. Otherwise AR8 will require even higher budgets at this rate!
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
By getting the National Wealth Fund and the Bank of England to get rid their orthodox approaches and actually invest in offshore wind and find ways to reduce cost of capital. Otherwise AR8 will require even higher budgets at this rate!
THIS ISN'T A CASE OF EXPENSIVE OFFSHORE WIND BUT ABOUT EXPENSIVE MONEY!
AR6 and AR7 landed at higher prices because the cost of capital, primarily, got expensive. We didn't do anything about it at this auction but we still have a chance to undo that at the next. How?
AR6 and AR7 landed at higher prices because the cost of capital, primarily, got expensive. We didn't do anything about it at this auction but we still have a chance to undo that at the next. How?
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
THIS ISN'T A CASE OF EXPENSIVE OFFSHORE WIND BUT ABOUT EXPENSIVE MONEY!
AR6 and AR7 landed at higher prices because the cost of capital, primarily, got expensive. We didn't do anything about it at this auction but we still have a chance to undo that at the next. How?
AR6 and AR7 landed at higher prices because the cost of capital, primarily, got expensive. We didn't do anything about it at this auction but we still have a chance to undo that at the next. How?
RWE is the massive winner here and they effectively bought the auction with more than nearly 80% capacity going to one developer - a reflection of how advanced those projects were and more importantly how closer they can take the govt. to their 2030 mission.
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
RWE is the massive winner here and they effectively bought the auction with more than nearly 80% capacity going to one developer - a reflection of how advanced those projects were and more importantly how closer they can take the govt. to their 2030 mission.
With 20 year contracts, clean jobs bonus and other perks, we still have an auction with results that were 11% higher than the previous one. Draw your own conclusions from that.
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
With 20 year contracts, clean jobs bonus and other perks, we still have an auction with results that were 11% higher than the previous one. Draw your own conclusions from that.
The clearing price of £91.20- you can see a U-curve of sorts on how offshore wind prices have gone up in the last couple of auctions. The reality is that we are also comparing it with a new gas plant in 2030 which some estimates say will come in higher than the OfW clearing price (debatable)
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
The clearing price of £91.20- you can see a U-curve of sorts on how offshore wind prices have gone up in the last couple of auctions. The reality is that we are also comparing it with a new gas plant in 2030 which some estimates say will come in higher than the OfW clearing price (debatable)
Keeping the budget as was originally announced would have only secured 4GW at this price but SoS had the right to increase the budget and he sure did! The problem was the really low references prices used in the govt. modelling which eats into the budget real fast!
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Keeping the budget as was originally announced would have only secured 4GW at this price but SoS had the right to increase the budget and he sure did! The problem was the really low references prices used in the govt. modelling which eats into the budget real fast!
The budget for offshore wind has effectively doubled from £900mn at the start to ~£1.8bn! that is a huge jump which managed to secure such a large capacity. Is this targetism over cost effectiveness? tbd. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/696689...
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM
The budget for offshore wind has effectively doubled from £900mn at the start to ~£1.8bn! that is a huge jump which managed to secure such a large capacity. Is this targetism over cost effectiveness? tbd. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/696689...
Overall, a mixed bag of a budget on energy.
Meaningful cuts to bills that slash inflation and bring relief but self inflicted damage by cutting energy efficiency measures. Fuel duty freeze continues to be a burden but EV charge will start offsetting the loss. Carbon price support lives on.
Meaningful cuts to bills that slash inflation and bring relief but self inflicted damage by cutting energy efficiency measures. Fuel duty freeze continues to be a burden but EV charge will start offsetting the loss. Carbon price support lives on.
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Overall, a mixed bag of a budget on energy.
Meaningful cuts to bills that slash inflation and bring relief but self inflicted damage by cutting energy efficiency measures. Fuel duty freeze continues to be a burden but EV charge will start offsetting the loss. Carbon price support lives on.
Meaningful cuts to bills that slash inflation and bring relief but self inflicted damage by cutting energy efficiency measures. Fuel duty freeze continues to be a burden but EV charge will start offsetting the loss. Carbon price support lives on.
8. Looking at ECO cuts more closely, that is a £6.4bn hit to energy efficiency measures. Remainder the warm homes plan seems to be intact but details unclear at this stage
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
8. Looking at ECO cuts more closely, that is a £6.4bn hit to energy efficiency measures. Remainder the warm homes plan seems to be intact but details unclear at this stage
7. Electric vehicle per mile payment is good and needed to stem the loss the fuel duty. it's broadly progresive given the obvious fact that richer households own more electric vehicles but the cost burden is low and should not dampen EV uptake.
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
7. Electric vehicle per mile payment is good and needed to stem the loss the fuel duty. it's broadly progresive given the obvious fact that richer households own more electric vehicles but the cost burden is low and should not dampen EV uptake.
6. Sustaining the fuel duty freeze continues to cost the govt. dearly but the savings accrue to the richest households. In fact, drivers have benefited hugely from a significant fall in fuel prices since 2019 and 2022 (adjusting for inflation) and unfreezing the duty would have been reasonable.
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
6. Sustaining the fuel duty freeze continues to cost the govt. dearly but the savings accrue to the richest households. In fact, drivers have benefited hugely from a significant fall in fuel prices since 2019 and 2022 (adjusting for inflation) and unfreezing the duty would have been reasonable.
5. On a side note, the energy bill package has the most meaningful reduction on inflation estimates. But this is such a meager intervention when compared to more significant savings that could have been achieved from cutting interest rates on renewables. (see here- neweconomics.org/2023/11/its-...)
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
5. On a side note, the energy bill package has the most meaningful reduction on inflation estimates. But this is such a meager intervention when compared to more significant savings that could have been achieved from cutting interest rates on renewables. (see here- neweconomics.org/2023/11/its-...)
In other words, a more significant fall in wholesale prices are needed to achieve the promised bill savings and though this budget doesn't discuss it, dealing with rising network costs will be the new battleground alongside shifting further levies off bills.
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
In other words, a more significant fall in wholesale prices are needed to achieve the promised bill savings and though this budget doesn't discuss it, dealing with rising network costs will be the new battleground alongside shifting further levies off bills.
This move effectively flattens the expected rise in environmental levies over the forecast period. This will do little to calm those on the right to continue their calls for scrapping net zero but it's welcome relief nonetheless.
As things stand, manifesto promise of £300 saving is still far away.
As things stand, manifesto promise of £300 saving is still far away.
November 26, 2025 at 1:47 PM
This move effectively flattens the expected rise in environmental levies over the forecast period. This will do little to calm those on the right to continue their calls for scrapping net zero but it's welcome relief nonetheless.
As things stand, manifesto promise of £300 saving is still far away.
As things stand, manifesto promise of £300 saving is still far away.