RenewableUK urges new Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh to expand renewables to cut household bills

With a new Energy Secretary taking charge in Westminster, the UK’s renewable energy industry isn’t waiting to make its priorities known. Hours after Miatta Fahnbulleh was appointed to replace Ed Miliband—who moves to the Foreign Office—RenewableUK CEO Tara Singh issued a direct call to action. The industry body is urging Fahnbulleh to maximize the volume of new renewable capacity secured through the current clean power auction, framing it as the fastest route to lower household energy bills.

RenewableUK calls on Fahnbulleh to prioritize renewables

Tara Singh’s welcome was warm, but it came with a clear ask. RenewableUK’s CEO said the industry group looks forward to working closely with Fahnbulleh to deliver what “households and businesses across the country want most: lower energy bills, greater energy security, and good jobs in every part of the UK.”

Singh pointed to Fahnbulleh’s background as the minister responsible for energy consumers as a strong foundation for the role. The Prime Minister’s stated focus on affordability and cost of living only adds to that—RenewableUK sees her as well-placed to push things forward.

RenewableUK expects offshore wind alone to deliver £100 billion ($130 billion) of investment by 2030, with the sector projected to support nearly 100,000 jobs.

The central ask is concrete: maximize the volume of new renewable capacity secured through the current clean power auction. That one step, the industry body argues, could set the tone for her entire tenure.

Ed Miliband, meanwhile, leaves the energy secretary role after steering a significant stretch of clean energy policy. He heads to the Foreign Office to take on international climate diplomacy—staying close to the issues he’s championed for decades.

Cost advantage of renewables over gas cited as key rationale

RenewableUK’s case for expanding renewables leans heavily on price. New onshore wind, according to the industry group, generates electricity at around half the cost of new gas-fired power stations. Offshore wind comes in at roughly 40% cheaper than new gas generation.

Those aren’t marginal differences. They’re the kind of cost gaps that, if reflected in consumer bills, could meaningfully shift household budgets.

Singh framed renewables as “our best bet for delivering affordable, homegrown power.” That word—homegrown—carries weight. It ties energy affordability directly to energy security, cutting exposure to the volatile international gas markets that have hammered household finances in recent years.

Faster planning, grid connections, and investor certainty identified as cost-reduction levers

Cheaper technology alone won’t deliver lower bills. RenewableUK is clear that the delivery system around renewables needs to get faster and less expensive too. Delays and uncertainty add real costs to infrastructure projects — and those costs eventually land with bill-payers. The group wants faster, more predictable planning decisions as a first step toward fixing that.

Quicker grid connections matter just as much. Projects that are ready to build but can’t connect to the grid represent wasted time and money. Unpredictable policy environments push up financing costs for new energy infrastructure, and that flows directly through to consumers — which is why stable conditions for investors round out the industry’s priorities.

There’s also a community dimension. RenewableUK stresses that local communities need to see real, tangible benefits from new projects and be closely involved in shaping them. It’s a practical argument as much as a principled one—public support, the group says, helps deliver infrastructure faster and more successfully.

Offshore wind sector projects: a $130 billion (£100 billion) investment and 100,000 jobs by 2030

The economic pitch goes well beyond energy bills. RenewableUK expects offshore wind alone to deliver £100 billion ($130 billion) of investment by 2030, with the sector projected to support nearly 100,000 jobs. Benefits are expected to reach coastal communities and industrial heartlands across the UK.

That framing is deliberate. The industry body is positioning renewable energy not just as a climate or energy policy tool but as a vehicle for economic renewal in parts of the country that have seen long-term decline.

Singh’s statement pointed directly to the Prime Minister’s stated priorities: making life’s essentials more affordable, reindustrializing Britain, and backing domestic industry. Renewable energy, RenewableUK argues, can help deliver on all of those at once—and the current clean power auction is an immediate opportunity to act on that promise.

Miliband’s tenure credited with key reforms to accelerate renewable deployment

RenewableUK took care to acknowledge the outgoing Energy Secretary’s record. Singh’s statement credited Miliband with a series of meaningful steps during his most recent time in office—lifting the effective ban on onshore wind in England chief among them, a policy shift that had long frustrated the renewables industry. Planning and grid reforms also moved forward, and clean power auctions secured record levels of new capacity.

The industry group recognized Miliband’s more than two decades of commitment to clean power, crediting the reforms he oversaw with having “strengthened the foundations for a more secure, affordable, and homegrown energy system.” RenewableUK also said it looks forward to continuing to work with him in his new Foreign Secretary role, particularly on international climate diplomacy.

($130 billion) £100 billion in investment and close to 100,000 jobs

The core message from RenewableUK is straightforward: renewable energy is currently cheaper than new gas generation, and expanding it is the most direct path to lower household bills and stronger energy security. The industry group wants Fahnbulleh to move quickly on the current clean power auction while also pushing for faster planning, better grid access, and stable investor conditions. Offshore wind alone is projected to deliver $130 billion (£100 billion) in investment and close to 100,000 jobs by 2030. Miliband’s reforms are credited with laying the groundwork—now the industry is watching to see whether his successor will build on them.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.