King's Speech, SMR deals, and Minister cools on hydrogen heating: BusinessGreen's most read stories of the week

BusinessGreen staff
clock • 1 min read
Business and Energy Minister Lord Callahan and Octopus founder Greg Jackson at the Octopus Heat Pump Centre | Credit: Octopus
Image:

Business and Energy Minister Lord Callahan and Octopus founder Greg Jackson at the Octopus Heat Pump Centre | Credit: Octopus

BusinessGreen rounds up the most widely read stories on the site this week

Energy Minister: Hydrogen will have 'very small role, if at all' in heating UK homes

EXCLUSIVE: Lord Callanan touts heat pumps and heat networks as replacement for vast majority of fossil gas boilers as he warns that hydrogen remains 'very problematical' for home heating.

- by Michael Holder (@michaelholder)  

 

'Shovel ready': National Grid helps 20GW of clean energy projects jump connections queue

National Grid moves capacity equivalent to six Hinkley Point C nuclear power stations up connections queue, promising major boost to energy storage developers.

- by Stuart Stone (@sstone26)

 

King's Speech promises new bill to boost fossil fuel drilling

Speech confirms plans for annual oil and gas licensing rounds, as government also promises action to boost renewables investment, accelerate clean energy grid connections, and deliver new self-driving vehicles.

- by James Murray (@James_BG)  

 

Rolls-Royce SMR strikes deal to explore nuclear hydrogen production

Partnership with ULC-Energy and Topsoe to explore the potential for zero emission hydrogen production using power from small modular reactors.

- by Cecilia Keating (@cecilia_keating)

 

Study: UK faces 'mammoth' £615bn green infrastructure investment gap

New analysis from the Association of British Insurers warns UK faces £615bn funding challenge to meet requirements for energy, transport, and housing infrastructure through to 2030 - having secured a little over half the £1.3tr needed.

- by Stuart Stone (@sstone26)

 

Keep up to date with all the latest green business news by signing up to the free Daily and Weekly BusinessGreen Newsletters.

More on BusinessGreen

UK Green Business Awards 2026: In photos

UK Green Business Awards 2026: In photos

Our gallery capturing many of the the finalists, winners, and speeches at the UK's most prestigious green business awards during a sweltering London Climate Action Week

BusinessGreen staff
clock 25 June 2026 • 1 min read
UK Green Business Awards 2026: And the winner is...

UK Green Business Awards 2026: And the winner is...

All the winners and highly commended entries from last night's glittering awards ceremony

James Murray
clock 24 June 2026 • 15 min read
Women in Green Business Awards: Entry deadline extended

Women in Green Business Awards: Entry deadline extended

Nominees now have until midnight on June 1st to submit their official entry for this year's awards

BusinessGreen staff
clock 26 May 2026 • 1 min read