Ed Miliband on Renewable Energy
TL;DR
Ed Miliband strongly advocates for a massive expansion of UK clean energy, prioritizing community ownership and security.
Key Points
He pledged up to £1 billion for community-owned green energy projects to increase local wealth and financial independence as of February 2026.
The publicly-owned Great British Energy, established under his tenure, has objectives to drive clean energy deployment and increase public ownership in the sector by 2030.
He maintains a position against issuing new North Sea oil and gas licences, citing a warning against betting on geopolitical stability in the current global climate.
Summary
As Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband has made the expansion of homegrown clean energy a core mission, aiming to make the UK a clean energy superpower. His current focus includes pledging up to £1bn for community-owned green energy schemes—such as solar, wind, and hydro—to democratise the energy system and ensure local profits flow back to communities rather than just large companies. This strategy is intended to increase energy security and help lower bills over the long term, working alongside Great British Energy (GB Energy), the publicly-owned clean power company he champions.
His approach also necessitates ensuring grid stability to manage intermittent sources like wind and solar, which has involved establishing objectives for GB Energy to develop, invest in, and own projects while keeping backup capacity, including gas plants, available. While emphasizing the transition to renewables, he has resisted calls for new North Sea oil and gas licences, framing the rejection of new drilling as necessary to avoid a dangerous gamble on geopolitical stability.
Key Quotes
Britain's drive for clean energy is about answering the call for a different kind of economy that works for the many, not just the wealthy and powerful in our society. Local and community energy is at the heart of our government's vision
Frequently Asked Questions
Ed Miliband, as Energy Secretary, is strongly committed to making the UK a clean energy superpower by massively expanding homegrown clean power sources. This includes a significant financial commitment to support community-owned renewable energy projects, according to a February 2026 pledge. His policy seeks to balance this expansion with ensuring energy security through strategic backup capacity.
He has maintained a consistent opposition to new North Sea oil and gas licences, telling reporters that such a move would be a 'dangerous and reckless strategy' amid global instability. This stance suggests no change in prioritizing the transition toward renewables over new fossil fuel extraction as reported in March 2026.
Ed Miliband has set clear strategic priorities for Great British Energy, the UK's publicly-owned clean power company, to act as a developer and investor in clean energy projects. This company is tasked with turbocharging the clean power mission and supporting British supply chains, with a goal to be self-financing by 2030, as detailed in a September 2025 announcement.
Sources5
Miliband pledges up to £1bn for community green energy schemes
Miliband told to stop pitting renewables against North Sea
Clean energy and jobs from publicly-owned Great British Energy
Ed Miliband's 'fanatical' Net Zero project makes Britain 'a warning to world', Claire Coutinho warns
Ed Miliband to unleash new gas plants to back up patchy wind and solar
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.