Written question asked by Lord Lilley (Conservative) on Monday, 30 June 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 July 2025. It was answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Labour) on Monday, 14 July 2025 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Renewable Energy: Costs

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield on 27 June (HL 8452), whether the analysis by the National Energy System Operator drew directly on (1) information published in audited accounts of special purpose vehicles (SPVs), (2) Gordon Hughes' analysis of 247 SPVs for wind projects published in Wind Power Economics: Rhetoric and Reality, Volume 1 – Wind Power Costs in the United Kingdom published in 2020, or (3) Gordon Hughes' analysis of 301 SPVs for solar projects published in The economics of utility-scale solar generation published in 2022; and if not, what was the source for their estimates of the capital and operating costs of wind and solar projects

Answer: The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is an operationally independent public body, and the Department does not hold information on the methodology used in their analysis. I have instructed officials to contact NESO to request a response to the noble Lord, and a copy of their reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: HL8970
Session: 2024-26
Related items: Solar Power and Wind Power: Subsidiary Companies
Friday, 27 June 2025
Written questions
House of Lords; Deposited Paper DEP2025-0530
Monday, 14 July 2025
Deposited papers
House of Lords
Subjects: Costs Wind power Solar power
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk