Fireside Chat with Energy Minister, Michael Shanks MP

With Clean Power 2030 moving from ambition to implementation, the UK's energy transition has entered a new phase. In this Strategic Summit fireside chat, Energy Minister Michael Shanks discusses how government is working with industry to accelerate delivery, remove barriers to investment and create the conditions needed to build a cleaner, more secure and more resilient energy system.

Reflecting on the progress made since taking office, the Minister emphasises that government can no longer focus solely on setting policy ambitions. Instead, success will depend on delivering the infrastructure, planning reforms and investment frameworks needed to enable projects to move from concept to construction. Throughout the discussion, partnership emerges as a defining theme, with government, industry, regulators and devolved administrations all playing a critical role in achieving the UK's clean energy objectives.

A significant part of the conversation centres on overcoming the practical barriers that continue to slow project delivery. The Minister explains how reforms to planning and consenting processes are intended to provide greater certainty for developers while ensuring that nationally significant infrastructure can be delivered more efficiently. He also highlights the work of the Clean Power Mission Unit, which has been established to focus on removing delivery obstacles, coordinating government action and maintaining momentum across major energy infrastructure projects.

Looking beyond individual projects, the discussion considers the wider economic opportunity created by the energy transition. Michael Shanks argues that delivering Clean Power 2030 is about more than reducing emissions. It is also an opportunity to strengthen energy security, reduce exposure to volatile international gas markets, attract long-term investment and create skilled jobs across the UK. He stresses that maintaining public confidence will require demonstrating both the economic value and the affordability of the transition, alongside visible benefits for local communities and supply chains.

The conversation concludes by looking beyond 2030. While Clean Power 2030 remains a critical milestone, the Minister makes clear that it represents the beginning rather than the end of the UK's energy transformation. As electricity demand continues to grow and the economy becomes increasingly electrified, maintaining investment certainty, building infrastructure at pace and sustaining collaboration across the energy sector will remain essential long after the target has been reached.

The session explores

• Delivering Clean Power 2030 through practical action and partnership
• Planning reform, consenting and accelerating infrastructure delivery
• The role of government in supporting investment and project delivery
• Strengthening energy security while reducing reliance on volatile gas markets
• Building public confidence through jobs, supply chains and economic growth
• Creating the long-term conditions for the UK's clean energy transition

Watch the full fireside chat to hear Energy Minister Michael Shanks discuss how government and industry can work together to accelerate infrastructure delivery, strengthen investor confidence and build the foundations for a secure, affordable and low-carbon energy system.

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