Energy commitments in Programme for Government 2024-2027

With a total of 22 mentions, energy permeates the Executive’s Programme for Government (PfG) for 2024-2027, Our Plan: Doing What Matters Most.

Under the ‘grow a globally competitive and sustainable economy’ priority areas (one of a total of nine), which the Executive commits to “work to” throughout its remaining mandate, the PfG outlines several energy-related ambitions.

Having outlined a “move to decarbonise our economy and become self-sufficient in affordable renewable energy”, by the end of its mandate in 2027, the Executive commits to increasing renewable electricity capacity to 40 per cent.

Meanwhile, in 2025, the Executive says it will publish the final design of a renewable electricity support scheme (RESS) to underpin the delivery of at least 80 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 as per Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

Under the ‘decarbonisation’ subhead, the Executive reiterates its commitment to “seek to” achieve self-sufficiency in clean and affordable energy. This hinges on using natural resources (including wind, biomethane, and geothermal) to “break the link with global energy prices” and, ambitiously, become a net exporter of renewable energy.

If successful, delivery would mean the decarbonisation of the energy system in tandem with wider economic growth.

The Energy Strategy, the PfG states, is “continuing to create the right market conditions” to unlock investment in a low carbon and renewable energy economy (LCREE) balanced against consumer protection from cost shocks and ensuring a just transition.

Among local businesses the Executive commits to reducing energy bills through the £15 million-Energy and Resource Efficiency Support Scheme, while allocating a further £75 million to the Invest to Save Fund to decarbonise the public sector.

Climate action

While having not included ‘climate’ among its nine priorities, the Executive commits to publishing a Climate Action Plan as a framework to deliver the legal obligation of at least 80 per of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2030.

Among other benefits, this decarbonisation is anticipated to unlock enhanced energy independence which, allied to better-insulated homes – which should lower energy bills for consumers.

Planet

Under the ‘planet’ mission (one of three in the 98-page document, the others being ‘people’ and ‘prosperity’), the PfG commits to reviewing the Energy Strategy in 2025, to emphasise a “renewed focus on affordable renewable energy” and ensure that it is updated with data and insights for the five years to 2030.

With regard to a just transition, the document commits to an “all of government approach” to developing and implementing a plan to unlock benefits for communities via a “community energy innovation project”.

Finally, the Executive states that a change to Electricity Grid Connection Charging policy will be delivered, thereby traversing a barrier to the connection of renewable energy and low-carbon technologies, such as EV charging, to the grid.