Spending review special: Energy infrastructure

The 2015/16 spending review was accompanied by further details on plans to develop the UK's energy infrastructure

The details outlined alongside the spending review included the so-called “strike-price” to support renewable generation, which aims to help renewables contribute at least 30% of total power by 2020.

Strike prices, which are part of the government’s electricity market reform, guarantee what payment renewable energy providers will receive for producing electricity.

The first strike prices to be unveiled by Decc cover wind, tidal, wave, biomass conversion and large solar projects, and are available between 2014 and 2019.

The government has also published the findings of research to estimate the potential shale gas resources in 11 counties in the north of England. It found that, on a central scenario, there is likely to be around 40 trillion cubic metres of shale gas in the ground in these areas.

Government plans to support shale gas extraction include a new streamlined planning and permitting regime.