Juergen Maier, chair of Great British Energy, has condemned Reform UK’s threat to tear up support for renewable energy projects, warning it would amount to “economic vandalism” and jeopardise jobs, investment and climate targets.
Responding to comments made by Reform deputy leader Richard Tice — who last week vowed to “reassess all net zero-related commitments” if the party gains influence at the next general election — Maier said the move risked serious long-term damage to the UK economy and energy security.
“Well done to the MPs from Labour and Lib Dems who have spoken up about this act of what would be economic vandalism from Reform,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post.
“It’s a shame that our media isn’t challenging this more. Obvious questions include: How many net jobs would this put at risk? What will it do to energy prices and security in the long term? How much private sector investment, which we desperately need, would this put at risk? And what does it do to our climate change commitments?”
Tice’s letter to clean energy developers warned that Reform UK would immediately scrap contracts signed under Allocation Round 7 (AR7) — the government’s next round of Contracts for Difference (CfDs), which offer a guaranteed minimum price for renewable energy over a 15- to 20-year period. He advised companies to treat future revenue from those contracts as “politically and commercially unsafe.”
But legal and industry experts have said the CfD regime is not a political lever but a private law contract enforced by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), a government-owned counterparty.
Tara Singh of Burson stated: “Unlike public subsidies, private law contracts can be enforced in court. If a future government tried to renege, developers could sue. The UK chose this structure precisely to avoid the kind of instability that wrecked investor confidence elsewhere.”
Andrew Kirwan of Copper Beech Advisory added: “If Reform UK intends to govern by threat, investors will respond by withdrawing capital, pausing projects, and reassessing the UK’s sovereign reliability.”
Maier echoed this sentiment, arguing the CfD mechanism has underpinned billions in investment and created tens of thousands of jobs: “It’s been so successful that governments have copied it around the world. But none of that seems to matter and remains largely unchallenged. Let’s make sure we maintain a better and more balanced debate here on LinkedIn.”
Labour also hit out at Reform’s plans, accusing the party of “disgracefully trying to undermine the UK’s national interest.”
Industry bodies, including Solar Energy UK and RenewableUK, said the threat would be legally questionable and politically damaging, warning it risks alienating investors at a crucial moment for the UK’s energy transition.