Nicholas Earl

London

Energy and Climate Reporter at POLITICO Europe

Energy and Climate @POLITICOEurope, formerly energy editor @CityAM Views mostly stolen from smarter people.

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Articles

Britain prepares to go all-in on nuclear power - after years of dither

2 days ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Earl

LONDON — Philip Hunt, the unassuming Labour peer put in charge of rejuvenating U.K. nuclear energy, has a favorite joke about how slowly the industry moves. Hunt — who was first an energy minister from 2008-2010 and retired from his second stint in government just last week — liked to roll out the gag at Westminster receptions, according to one industry figure who saw him in action.
E&E News: UK in talks to buy back nuclear sites from French firm EDF

1 month ago | subscriber.politicopro.com | Nicholas Earl |Nicolas Camut
UK in talks to buy back nuclear sites from French firm EDF

1 month ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Earl |Nicolas Camut

LONDON — The U.K. government is in talks with its French counterparts about purchasing back three nuclear sites from state-owned energy giant EDF, as Whitehall looks to take control of the upcoming expansion of nuclear power. U.K. ministers are discussing buying up Bradwell B, Heysham and Hartlepool, a French government official confirmed to POLITICO. “There have been discussions. For the moment, no decision has been taken and discussions are continuing,” the official said.
E&E News: It’s not just British Steel. Here’s where the UK is hooked on China.

1 month ago | subscriber.politicopro.com | Mason Boycott-Owen |Charlie Cooper |Abby Wallace |Nicholas Earl
It’s not just British Steel. Here’s where the UK is hooked on China

1 month ago | politico.eu | Mason Boycott-Owen |Charlie Cooper |Abby Wallace |Nicholas Earl

But its formulation has also been heavily influenced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who visited China in January to drum up Chinese investment in Britain. This same Whitehall tug-of-war between “securocrats” and growth has snagged a second U.K. policy — the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), a public register of the activities of hostile nations in Britain, which will launch in July after long delays.
How energy’s smoothest lobbyist wooed Whitehall

2 months ago | politico.eu | Nicholas Earl

LONDON — When Octopus Energy boss Greg Jackson appeared on Desert Island Discs in 2023 — one of the U.K.’s longest-running, most-loved BBC radio shows — his first song choice was a 1980s banger: Yazz’s "The Only Way Is Up."The optimism was on-brand for Jackson, one of the energy industry’s most polished lobbyists with half of Westminster on speed dial. Octopus, the clean energy start-up he founded in 2015, this year became the single largest provider to U.K. households.
E&E News: How Britain can escape Trump’s tariffs: Buy American gas

Feb 5, 2025 | subscriber.politicopro.com | Nicholas Earl |Sophie Inge

The search supports the following Boolean operators:AND, OR, NOT must be capitalized. Search otherwise ignores capitalization for keywords. Use "" quotation marks to search for a phrase. Phrase search matches all words in that order with nothing in between. Search will capture keywords in plural form (e.g. Liability can pull both liability and liabilities), including within phrase search. Parentheses () can be used with the operators above.
How Britain can escape Trump’s tariffs: Buy American gas

Feb 3, 2025 | politico.eu | Nicholas Earl |Sophie Inge

LONDON — Britain hopes to keep out of Donald Trump’s global trade war. But persuading the unpredictable United States president not to clobber British imports with his punitive tariff regime won't be easy. As Trump threatens to slap tariffs on friendly countries like Canada and insists he'll also hit the European Union, officials in London are mulling ways to avoid taking a hit of their own.
UK push for North Sea oil and gas drilling was unlawful

Jan 30, 2025 | politico.eu | Nicholas Earl

LONDON — The Scottish High Court quashed decisions by the British government to approve drilling in two vast North Sea oil and gas fields after legal challenges from environmental campaigners. Fresh decisions on whether to drill in the two fields, Rosebank and Jackdaw, will now have to be made by regulators and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, whose Labour administration succeeded the Conservatives who pushed the initial decision.
UK climate chief Ed Miliband is fighting a losing battle

Jan 23, 2025 | politico.eu | Nicholas Earl

LONDON — U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is in another fight with the Treasury. And, as the government desperately pursues good news on economic growth, he looks destined to lose again. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is on course to approve a new runway at Heathrow Airport, green light the opening of London Gatwick’s second runway and back Luton Airport’s expansion plans, two officials told POLITICO.