New measures to support energy security

Energy secretary Ed Miliband has announced a raft of measures in the pursuit of national energy security.

The government is working with the Competition and Markets Authority to ensure that fuel suppliers cannot engage in unfair practices towards consumers such as price gouging amid ongoing events in the Middle East. The CMA has set out plans to step up monitoring of the road fuel sector to rapidly identify any signs that fuel stations are exploiting the situation.

The government has also boosted industry compliance with Fuel Finder, the petrol and diesel price comparison scheme, with Asda confirming that its forecourts will be listed on Fuel Finder.

The government is working on new standards and regulations to make plug-in solar products available in the UK. The plug-in solar panels can be placed in gardens or on walls and balconies and then plugged into a mains socket.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: "Global events demonstrate there’s not a moment to waste in our drive for clean power because there can be no energy security while we are so dependent on fossil fuels.   

"So today I’m announcing a series of initiatives to speed up our clean power mission: bringing forward the next renewables auction just months after our most successful ever, announcing that plug in solar will be available for the first time in Britain and speeding up our warm homes plan.  

"Everything we are doing is about one purpose: fighting the corner of the British people by taking back control of our energy."