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UK100 responds to Ed Miliband's 'era of clean energy security' speech
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- Local leaders back Energy Secretary's clean energy security push
- Plug-in solar with councils, more solar for social housing and bigger heat pump grants for rural households off the gas grid hailed as practical measures that will cut bills street by street
- But £40 million for 100 more schools shows how much further to go — warm classrooms and efficient hospitals "deserve the same sustained national attention as warm, affordable homes"
LONDON, 22 April 2026 — Responding to the Energy Secretary's speech at the Good Growth Foundation on Monday, Christopher Hammond, Chief Executive of UK100, said:
“Ed Miliband is right: now is time to double down on the era of clean energy security. Families and businesses can't keep being strapped to the fossil fuel rollercoaster. Local leaders across our cross-party network have been making this argument for years, and today's package moves the country in the right direction.
“It’s no surprise, given the crisis in the Middle East that solar and battery installations have climbed. The public wants not only cleaner and more affordable energy but more local control of it. We particularly welcome the plug-in solar pilot with local authorities, more solar for social housing, and bigger heat pump grants for rural households off the gas grid. These are practical, local measures that will cut bills street by street.
“The £40 million for 100 more schools is a genuine win. But it also shows how much further we need to go. Warm classrooms and efficient hospitals deserve the same sustained national attention as warm and affordable-to-run homes.
“Unexpected shocks that drive up prices and throttle growth will continue the longer we remain chained to buying our energy from unstable regions and polluting companies. The announcement is another significant step towards getting off the fossil fuel rollercoaster — so long as the plans are delivered with local government"
