Energy Security White Paper

Energy security is a national policy priority and is critical to inclusive, sustainable growth in the Midlands.

Achieving energy security is particularly important for the region due its energy intensive sectors like advanced manufacturing which makes up a disproportionately large part of our regional economy.

This challenge offers economic opportunity for our businesses and innovators who are driving the UK’s transition to net zero through exceptional energy infrastructure like the ~5GW Humber Offshore Wind Cluster and STEP Fusion.

Ensuring a dependable source of affordable, clean energy is also essential for our communities who experience some of the highest rates of fuel poverty in the country.

The Midlands Engine Partnership is developing an Energy Security White Paper that can inform and help shape national policy and investment so that they are fully cognisant of the Midlands context and opportunity – for national and regional benefit.

Specifically, the White Paper evidences and demonstrates:

1. The significance of the Midlands to the UK’s transition to a secure, low-carbon energy system and the achievement of related national policy priorities, particularly economic growth, net zero and levelling up
2. The specific scope, nature and scale of the opportunities in the Midlands to support the energy transition and UK energy security
3. The challenges and barriers to realising these opportunities, including barriers to private investment and the risks of not realising them 
4. What national policies, policy mechanisms and investment decisions can do to enable the opportunities in the Midlands to be realised – particularly as regards unlocking private sector investment
5. How government, industry and other partners need to work together to achieve this – including a high-level ‘route map’ for collaborative action