Today’s announcement from Government – Powering Britain’s Future: Electricity bills to be slashed for over 7,000 businesses in major industry shake-up – marks a significant step forward for the UK aluminium sector and the wider foundation industries.
As part of the long-awaited Industrial Strategy, an extension of the British Industry Supercharger scheme will now deliver a 100% exemption from renewable levies and a 90% reduction in network charges for qualifying energy-intensive businesses. This has the potential to bring UK industrial electricity prices closer to European averages – something ALFED has consistently called for in our engagements with BEIS, DBT, and Treasury.
For aluminium producers and processors, where electricity can account for up to 40% of operational costs, this change directly supports our ability to remain competitive, invest in low-carbon technology, and scale domestic reprocessing and manufacturing.
“This is a hugely welcome development for the UK aluminium industry and an important step in the right direction.
High energy costs have long placed our sector at a structural disadvantage. By addressing this imbalance, we can finally unlock the kind of investment, innovation and growth the UK aluminium supply chain is ready to deliver.
ALFED is proud to have played a role in championing the voice of the sector, and we’ll be reviewing the full Industrial Strategy in detail to ensure aluminium continues to be recognised as a strategic material.”
– Nadine Bloxsome, Chief Executive, Aluminium Federation
We will share a full member briefing once the strategy is published in full and continue to represent your views across government forums.
To read more, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/powering-britains-future-electricity-bills-to-be-slashed-for-over-7000-businesses-in-major-industry-shake-up
