NEWS UPDATE CLEAN TECH TIMELINES Appointments


● The MCS Foundation has appointed Dr Garry Felgate as its new CEO to guide the MCS Group in its mission to decarbonise homes and energy. With over 30 years of leadership experience in the private sector and civil society, he brings expertise from various organisations, including KPMG and the Carbon Trust.


● Fabrizio Vagli is the new head of industrial cooling at GF Piping Systems. With a wealth of experience in HVAC applications, from his years as an installer to managing positions in sales and business development at Siemens, Fabrizio will now drive innovation and sustainability in the company’s key segments including data centres, marine and industrial process cooling.


● With a brief to accelerate the development of new nuclear plants, John Fingleton CBE has been appointed as the lead of the UK government’s nuclear taskforce. Previously head of the Office of Fair Trading, John brings significant experience from outside the nuclear industry and in his new role will work closely with business, regulators and other interested individuals and groups to identify how regulation can incentivise investment in this area.


● Armstrong Fluid Technology has appointed Sophie Pinnington as sustainability manager UK and EMEA. Sophie has worked in environmental management, gas distribution and the utilities sector since 2016. She will oversee sustainability activities for Armstrong, bringing experience in the fields of carbon reduction and reporting, biodiversity and supply chain sustainability.


● Armacell has appointed Stefan Garmann to manage the EMEA East region alongside his role as general manager EMEA North. This change is part of an organisational realignment aimed at enhancing customer focus and optimising the supply chain. Stefan has been with Armacell since 2014 and has extensive management experience in the company.


● Stiebel Eltron UK has appointed Nigel Allan as regional specification manager and promoted Matt Fitzpatrick to specification manager. Additionally, Stephen Dean has joined the technical services team. These appointments aim to enhance expertise in renewable heating solutions, supporting the company’s growth and the adoption of renewable energy across the UK.


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Postcode lottery for fastest renewables installations


Octopus Energy has released new data revealing significant regional disparities in the time customers have to wait for approvals to install new EV chargers, heat pumps or solar panels. Such approvals are needed to ensure that the local electricity network can support the new connection. If the network can’t cope, a grid upgrade may be required. The data shows approval times for clean technologies can


range from 1 to 45 days, depending on where in the country customers live. Delays are caused by inconsistent processes among Distribution Network Operators, who manage installation approvals across different regions. This disparity has led to a ‘postcode lottery’ where some homes are green-lit for upgrades within a few days, while others are left waiting for weeks. A clear North-South divide has been identified. Customers in


the North and Scotland are facing longer delays, especially for solar installations, while those in areas served by National Grid Electricity Distribution and UK Power Networks experience the shortest waits – averaging 7 to 8 days for all technologies.


The impact of AI on data centres and energy


consumption


The Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) has published a much-anticipated report on the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and energy nexus. It explores the current and likely future impact of AI upon energy consumption. It also reflects in detail upon how AI could unlock positive transformation in the energy efficiency sector. The IEA reconfirms that the electricity consumption of data centres has grown significantly across the world in the past year. This has been by around 12% annually ever


since 2017. Data centres accounted for about 1.5% of total global electricity consumption in 2024, but this share is expected to more than double by 2030 (415 terawatt-hours (TWh) to 945 TWh). Even so, the IEA found that data


centres are expected to only account for one-tenth of the overall growth in global electricity demand by 2030. This placed the sector’s impact significantly behind anticipated growth in air conditioning and electric vehicles. However, AI-focused data centres


(where AI is trained and deployed) consume much more energy than


With enquiries for heat pumps increasing and costs for solar


panels coming down to record lows, Octopus is calling for urgent action to streamline the approval process, and speed up the UK’s push toward net zero. Alex Schoch, director of electrification at Octopus Energy,


says: “The UK’s journey to net zero depends on millions of people being able to install clean tech in their homes. While some are getting these quickly and efficiently, current delays in the worst-hit regions risk leaving many customers in limbo while waiting for approvals. We’re shining a light on the blockers and will continue to work with industry and networks to clear the way for faster, fairer access to clean energy tech.”


a traditional data centre. This is leading to a level of electricity consumption in a single centre equivalent to 100,000 households, with some AI-focused data centres under construction expected to consume 20 times more energy. As a result, the IEA has developed


three scenarios for the increase of AI-related electricity consumption. In the High Efficiency Case, significant gains are expected in the efficiency of AI-related hardware and models, which would decrease the electricity demand of data centres by 20% in 2035 compared to the base case. The IEA stresses that AI should


provide significant energy efficiency gains to the energy system. AI can help improve the efficiency of energy supply – including generation and transmission – and reduce energy consumption across all end-use sectors, such as industry, transport, and buildings.


UK businesses advised to stay with the same energy supplier


It is now slightly more cost-effective for UK businesses to renew their energy contracts with existing suppliers rather than switch, according to a new industry report. The latest Quarterly Energy Barometer Report from energy software firm POWWR shows that on average, businesses save 1.4% by staying with their current provider. This marks a shift in the energy market, where switching has traditionally offered better rates. The report, based on more than 480,000 data points from


companies across the UK, reveals that average electricity bills have fallen by 5% over the past three months, dropping from £5,117 to £4,863 per year. Energy usage has also declined, with the average business now using 22 MWh annually – an 8% reduction compared to


the previous quarter, and down 12% on the same period in 2024. However, microbusinesses consuming less than 10 MWh annually saw their usage rise slightly by 2%. Despite the overall decrease, regional differences remain


significant. Businesses in North Wales continue to pay the highest annual bills, averaging £6,120 – nearly £2,000 more than businesses in London. South Scotland also saw a rise in costs, with average bills increasing 6% from £5,087 to £5,360. The report also highlights an increase in market


confidence, with suppliers now offering longer fixed-term deals. The average contract length has risen from 27 to 29 months, suggesting businesses are more willing to commit to long-term energy plans amid falling prices.


EIBI | MAY 2025


For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk


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