The choice of Kwarteng’s replacement has caused some debate, as David Blackman sets out in this profile of Anne Marie Trevelyan. Given her role in supporting greater proliferation of renewables in our energy mix, her previous comments on wind turbines are not exactly encouraging. “Monstrosities” was one of the choice phrases she used to describe windfarms. And this was no one off comment from the new energy minister, who made opposition to the technology a centrepiece of her election campaign in 2015. A loyal lieutenant of Boris Johnson, she had been widely tipped for a return to government after her role as secretary of state for international development was abolished when her department was merged into the Foreign Office last year. However, there will inevitably be questions as to whether she has the green credentials that would seem a prerequisite for her new position. Still, she will be reporting into Kwarteng, who after 18 months in the brief and reshaping the white paper, will want to ensure his legacy remains intact.
Utility Week 12th Jan 2021 read more »