On 16 September 2025, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband published a Statement of Strategic Objectives for GB Energy. The document sets out not only the strategic direction that the company should take, but also gives a six-month deadline to GB Energy’s leadership to produce a Strategic Plan.
As part of the ongoing UKERC’s Responsive Research, researchers from the University of Strathclyde’s Centre for Energy Policy (CEP) have been looking at GB Energy’s aims and which priorities it could pursue. Through evidence-based analysis of GB Energy’s announced projects and instruments in place and comparison with international analogues, UKERC researchers drew a set of findings that line up with many of the strategic objectives with the Statement.
The work seeks to provide a rapid evidence assessment of the feasibility of GB Energy’s proposed framework and the tools it has at its disposal for delivering its outlined goals. Successful execution of GB Energy’s framework is expected to help balance environmental goals with economic growth, fostering job creation and its retention in the UK.
UKERC Researcher Dr Aliya Tskhay said:
Our research at the Centre for Energy Policy, within the UKERC Responsive Research theme, provides evidence against the objectives specified in the Statement and highlights what GB Energy can pursue. The short timescale of delivery and the depth of impact from the activities that GB Energy will implement, bring critical importance for the publication of the Strategic Plan – which we hope will offer GB Energy’s vision on how to achieve its goals and bring community benefits.
UKERC research uncovers areas where more information will be needed for further analysis, for instance, on GB Energy’s portfolio prioritisation, risk assessment, and supply chain investment.