MediaResponding to the comments regarding energy bills by the Centrica chief executive, Sam Richards, founder and campaign director for Britain Remade, said:
“The news from the company that owns British Gas that they expect energy bills to remain eye-wateringly high for years to come will be a huge blow for people already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
“The only way we are going to bring down energy bills for millions of people is if we get spades in the ground and get building the clean secure domestic energy infrastructure Britain needs.
“To do this we need fundamental reform of our outdated planning system, which is holding Britain back from being a clean energy superpower. It currently takes up to 13 years to get an offshore wind farm up and running, despite construction only taking two to three years.
“And the senseless ban on new onshore wind farms in England should be dropped. Onshore wind turbines are extremely popular with 67% of people supporting them been built in their local area. This would unlock a tsunami of clean energy projects and give England access to one of the cheapest forms of energy now available.
“High energy bills are not inevitable, Britain can have cheap and reliable energy for decades to come, without been reliant on volatile international gas markets, but we need to get building now.”
ENDS