During this global energy crisis, brought on by Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, it is more important than ever for allied countries to deepen their cooperation to ensure resilient international systems which reflect our shared values.
Working with our allies, the United States and United Kingdom commit to intensify our collaboration to support international energy security, affordability, and sustainability, as Europe reduces its dependence on Russian energy. Our immediate shared goal to stabilise energy markets, reduce demand, and ensure short-term security of supply is underpinned by the longer-term objective of supporting a stable energy transition to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, which in itself will strengthen our energy security.
To this end, we are establishing a Joint Action Group for Energy Security and Affordability to accelerate our immediate cooperation on short-term action to support energy security and affordability in the United Kingdom and across Europe.
The initiative will focus on the following priority areas:
1. Energy Efficiency and Innovative Energy Solutions
- Underscoring the importance of energy efficiency in bolstering energy security and affordability, partnering to explore market mechanisms, exchange best practices, and policy solutions to increase efficiency, contributing to a projected 8% reduction in end-user demand for gas in the UK this winter compared to the previous five years. We will explore targeted, data-driven measures that will save customers on their bills and increase efficiency without sacrificing comfort.
- The UK will establish a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce to reduce the UK's energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030 against 2021 levels. The £1.5 billion Help to Heat programme provides energy efficiency upgrades to low-income households, and the UK has committed an additional £6bn in energy efficiency schemes to 2028. Meanwhile, the U.S. is investing more than $30 billion in energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for low-income communities.
- Recognising the role of demand reduction technologies including, but not limited to: EVs, batteries, heat pumps, and home energy management systems, seeking to expedite deployment of these technologies to consumers.
- Sharing lessons learned on creating competitive markets for these Energy Smart Appliances (ESAs) and best practice as these proposals develop, including assessing the potential for UK-led interoperability standards to be used in the U.S., and vice-versa.
2. Gas Supply
- Further enhancing U.S. LNG supply to the UK and wider European market by supporting the market conditions for security of supply, recognising the role of natural gas in ensuring near-term energy security, and in particular the significance of UK LNG import infrastructure and interconnection to wider European supply security.
- Working with international partners and industry to strive to ensure LNG volumes of at least 9-10bcm over the next year via UK terminals from the U.S. To this end, we will look to identify opportunities to support commercial contracts that increase security of supply.
- Committing to maintain an enabling regulatory environment to facilitate continued supplies, including domestic UK production, and to act on issues raised by stakeholders including in the private sector.
- Prioritising low-carbon LNG infrastructure by promoting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity, incorporating Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) and renewables in production sites where possible, and collaborating to adopt regulatory frameworks to minimise leakage, venting, or flaring from new, modified, or existing infrastructure. Both sides take note of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act's Methane Emissions Reduction Program, which will invest $1.55 billion to reduce methane emissions and implement a methane waste fee on major emitting facilities, as well as recent proposed standards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to sharply reduce methane and other harmful air pollution, as well as to spur cutting-edge solutions to reduce leaks and wasted gas, from both new and existing sources in the oil and natural gas sectors.
3. Nuclear Cooperation
- Promoting civil nuclear as a safe and reliable part of the clean energy transition, and a secure source of energy, including through ensuring that global supply chains are less dependent on unreliable sources to pursue this objective.
- Working together to deepen global collaboration between like-minded countries on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in a way that mutually benefits our respective industries and provides opportunities for UK and U.S. industry to support a resilient and diversified nuclear fuel supply chain.
4. International Collaboration on Clean Energy
- Working with G7 and G20 partners to drive forward a high ambition energy transition agenda, including in the run up to COP28, reducing the risk of future fossil fuel dependency in emerging markets and developing countries, avoiding any backtracking on previous commitments, enhancing and accelerating ambition toward the achievement of net-zero energy sectors, incorporating implementation of the Glasgow Climate Pact, and ensuring energy security in the current geopolitical context.
- In support of these goals, advancing Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) with international partners, alongside advancing the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII).
- Partnering on the development of, investment in and mass deployment of clean energy technologies, including through International Energy Agency (IEA) technology collaboration programs, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation initiatives.
- In support of this, collaborating to establish global exports and imports of hydrogen and hydrogen technologies, including through: the development of appropriate and compatible certification schemes; the expedition of the development of the first wave of global clean hydrogen projects by exchanging information, experience and expertise; and the acceleration of the creation of hydrogen hubs in both the UK and US through industrial engagement in hard to abate sectors,
- Continuing close collaboration on CCUS by sharing policies and lessons learned on the multilateral stage to advance global deployment.
The Joint Action Group will be convened by a representative from the offices of the President and the Prime Minister. It will particularly focus on intensifying further commercial and scientific ties between our two countries. It will complement the existing Strategic Energy Dialogue, which is the principal mechanism for collaboration on net zero technologies, financing of nuclear projects, and multilateral initiatives.
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