United Kingdom: Energy and Natural Resources

The UK energy sector is undergoing a profound transformation as major operators consolidate assets and shift from traditional exploration to technology-driven efficiency. As global majors adjust their footprints, new consolidated entities like Adura and NEO NEXT+ are emerging, leveraging proprietary innovation, digital twins, and late-life optimization to extract value from mature North Sea fields while navigating complex tax regimes and regulatory constraints.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal recently dismissed Zenōbe Energy's challenge to GEMA's proposed cap and floor scheme for long duration electricity storage installations under the Subsidy Control Act 2022. While the case did not resolve whether the scheme constitutes a subsidy, it provides crucial guidance on when subsidy decisions are made and the circumstances under which they fall outside the Tribunal's review powers.

Defra has published all ten biodiversity gain statements and detailed guidance for NSIPs ahead of mandatory BNG on 2 November 2026. We examine what the new package means for developers with projects in the pipeline.