The government of the UK has announced the full membership of its Energy Efficiency Taskforce, which includes senior representatives from the National Infrastructure Commission and the Green Finance Institute.

The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, first confirmed the task force late last year. In his November 2022 Autumn Statement, Hunt established a new goal to reduce absolute energy consumption in buildings and industry by 15% by 2035. He confirmed £6 billion in additional spending on energy efficiency for 2025 and beyond and established a Taskforce to assist in designing and allocating future funding schemes. 

Hunt highlighted the significance of energy efficiency for energy security, economic growth, and the realization of the transition to net-zero emissions.

In early 2023, Lord Callanan and Alison Rose, chief executive of Natwest, were subsequently confirmed as co-chairs of the new task force.

Following the group’s first official meeting, the UK Government confirmed its full task force membership this week. As part of the Budget, Hunt increased the energy efficiency target’s ambition, advancing it to 2030. The meeting occurred at the same time. He expanded the target’s scope beyond buildings and industry to encompass the total UK energy demand.

The Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (DESNZ) stated in a press release that the thirteen additional Taskforce members have “unique experiences and perspectives” that “bring together a vast wealth of knowledge to deliver the government’s ambitious commitments.”

The new associates are:

  • David Thomas, executive director of Barratt Developments
  • David Halpern is the chief executive officer of the Behavioural Insights Team.
  • Graham Bell, president, and CEO of B&Q
  • Mitesh Dhanak is the chief executive officer of Cenergist, and Laura Sandys is the chair of the Government’s Energy Digitalisation Taskforce.
  • Professor Will Swan, director of the University of Salford’s Energy House Laboratories
  • Emma Pinchbeck is the CEO of Energy UK.
  • Dr. Rhian-Marie Thomas, executive director of the Green Finance Institute
  • Michael Liebreich, chair and chief executive of Liebreich Associates
  • Stephen Phipson, executive director of Make UK
  • Sir Adam Scorer, executive director of National Energy Action, Chairman John Armitt of the National Infrastructure Commission
  • Carl Ennis, chief executive, Siemens
  • David Postings, executive director of UK Finance
  • Simon McWhirter, vice president of the UK Green Building Council

Lord Callanan stated, “We have scoured the UK’s industry to assemble a team of the best and brightest, and I am eager to learn from the expertise that each team member brings to the table.

“We are confident that the desire of people and industry to reduce energy consumption exists, but we must put in place the appropriate mechanisms to channel this. This necessitates judicious investment, effective engagement, and the development of the proper skill set, and this is precisely what the task force will focus on.”

Green economic response

Chris Friedler, energy efficiency policy manager for the Association for Distributed Energy (ADE), said in response to the news, “We have initial concerns that installers and others in the supply chain are not adequately represented, but we welcome the clear emphasis on green finance and regulatory frameworks.” The task force must investigate options for the owner-occupant sector in particular, and the ADE will collaborate with the task force to deliver comfortable, affordable, and sustainable buildings for everyone.

Daniel Scott, vice president of Danfoss Climate Solutions in Northern Europe, added, “This new Taskforce is unquestionably a positive development. However, we would like to see a significant expansion of the scope of this task force. Energy efficiency transcends the realm of buildings. This task force’s primary objective will be to improve the energy efficiency of homes and building structures in the United States. This is encouraging, but we want to see a broader mandate encompassing the entire UK economy, including industry and transportation.

“For instance, there are tremendous opportunities to reduce the energy demand in our cities by reusing energy from industry, data centers, waste facilities, and grocery stores. Also, we could reuse heat on a large scale. We hope that this type of energy recycling, a crucial energy efficiency component, is recognized and utilized by the new task force, especially as the cost of living crisis continues to harm businesses and reduce consumer living standards.”

As its work progresses, DESNZ has stated that the task force will “explore ways to draw on the expertise of a broader group of stakeholders.”