Leaders from Cheshire and Warrington are calling on the Government to accelerate its transformational vision for an economy based on clean energy and Net Zero emissions by 2050.

In a year when the UK is hosting two global summits – the G7 in Cornwall and COP26 in Glasgow in November – local business and political leaders want to see the pace of change pick-up.

The Government set out its plans last December in its energy white paper, which pulled together energy-related policy from a broad range of sectors, including the built environment, transport and the nuclear industry.

Robert Davis, chief executive of EA Technology, and co-chair of the Cheshire and Warrington Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Commission, said: “We are expecting more consultations and hopefully decisions throughout 2021.

“The most pressing is that we await a UK Hydrogen Strategy, along with further interventions in retail energy markets, a Smart Systems Plan, a Transport Decarbonisation Plan, a Heat and Buildings Strategy, and an Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy.

“We believe we can bring thousands of new clean tech jobs to Cheshire and Warrington by taking a leadership position in the UK’s transition to zero carbon energy but we need the policy framework resolved so we can deliver.