News | Aliya Tskhay | Sep 2025
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.
A clearer direction for GB Energy
The Statement provides more details on the actions and tasks for GB Energy to address in its operation and way forward. As some experts indicated at the time, the initial announcements around GB Energy did not provide much clarity on the operation, priorities and projects. Thus, the Statement offers glimpses of the activities and policies to be expected in the future from GB Energy’s management.
As part of the ongoing UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) Responsive Research theme, researchers from 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, CEP researchers drew a set of findings that line up with many of the strategic objectives with the Statement.
Role as developer, investor, and partner
GB Energy is expected to become a strategic developer, investor, and owner of clean energy projects. The Statement of Strategic Objectives highlights that the company should be involved in renewable energy projects from early development to operation. The Statement also stipulates that GB Energy will have stakes in projects but will also develop collaborations with private developers, local government, and community energy groups. CEP researchers argue that the pivot towards a developer model would require the GB Energy leadership to examine the operating models of its international analogues.
Delivering community benefits and innovation
Another important point for GB Energy is to deliver community benefits as a publicly owned company. This entails developing a balanced portfolio with positive returns on investments, which will be channelled to further projects. The goal is for GB Energy to become self-sufficient by 2030. There is also an expectation that GB Energy will invest in projects with higher risk, especially in the realm of nascent and emerging technologies. By doing so, the company will act as a driver for innovation and assist in the deliverance the Clean Power 2030 mission.
CEP research advises that GB Energy should avoid creating a crowding-out effect and invest in areas of low-private investors interest. The researchers also highlight the importance to look beyond 2030, and the role the company’s activities can play in the future. Dr Aliya Tskhay, CEP Research Associate, 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.
Insights from the Centre for Energy Policy and looking ahead to the Strategic Plan
The CEP 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. It is already clear that with the unique role as a publicly-owned company, GB Energy should take a coordinating role of various public and private stakeholders to drive innovation and roll-out of renewable energy projects, and job and skills creation. Therefore, the publication of a Strategic plan in six-months will be crucial to understand the concrete steps the company will take and how effective they will be to deliver its mandate.
Photo credit: UK Government on Flickr