“An alternative that cannot be disrupted by foreign wars because it comes from our own wind, sun and nuclear resources. That isn’t subject to global price shocks because it is locked in at stable prices here at home.””

“He will point to the fact that UK consumers’ demand for clean energy technologies has already increased rapidly since the onset of the conflict in the Middle East.”

““Octopus report a 50% rise in solar panel sales and a 50% rise in heat pump sales since the war began. And March was the best month ever for EV sales in the UK,” he will say, adding: “Contrary to an extraordinary amount of misinformation, before this crisis it was already cheaper to run an EV than a petrol or diesel car, and, with the right tariff, cheaper to run a heat pump than a gas boiler.””

“At the moment, the wholesale price of electricity is set by the most costly generation at a given time, which is often gas-fired power stations – a system also in place across many other European countries.”

“In the short-term, the chancellor is understood to be considering raising the electricity generator levy – in effect a windfall tax on low-carbon energy producers – and using the proceeds to cushion the blow for consumers.”

“Domestic energy bills are fixed until July by the price cap imposed by the regulator for Great Britain, Ofgem, but are then expected to rise by about 12%, to £1,836 a year for a typical household – although ministers have stressed that energy usage tends to be lower over the summer months.”

“The Treasury has already stepped in with financial support for consumers dependent on heating oil; and announced that it will backdate to this month a scheme aimed at reducing bills for the UK’s most energy-intensive manufacturers.”