THE war in Iran and subsequent spike in oil and gas prices has thrown into sharp focus the importance of the UK’s energy security and independence.

Drilling for more oil simply exacerbates the problem as we do not ‘own’ oil drilled from the North Sea. It’s owned by the likes of Shell, BP and Total and sold to the highest bidder on international markets.

North Sea oil is a highly depleted reserve, and new wells take over five years to bring on-stream. In fact, new research has found that hundreds of licences granted for new oil and gas projects in the North Sea under the Conservatives since 2010 have so far produced just 36 days’ worth of gas!

The only way we break the cycle of seven worldwide energy shocks in the last 55 years is to accelerate our transition from the current 50 per cent usage of renewables to 95 per cent.

With this in mind, I was delighted last week the government launched the Future Homes Standard. This new standard mandates that all new homes will be built with solar panels as standard – with the introduction of plug-in solar panels expected soon.

These panels are designed to be simple to use and don’t require an expensive professional electrician for installation. The government is working with manufacturers and retailers to make these products available, to reduce energy bills and make clean energy more accessible.

For the last decade, successive governments have been trying to develop the Future Homes Standard. The guidance published last week means from 2028, no new homes will be on the gas network – and will instead be on a heat network or have a heat pump – and they must have solar panels on their roofs covering an area equivalent to 40 per cent of the ground floor space.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “The Iran war has again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don’t control.”

The announced changes have been welcomed by the energy industry and those working in green technology for providing certainty that heat pumps and solar panels are worth investing in. This has a direct impact on jobs for us closer to home too.

Kensa, based in my constituency at United Downs, is the UK’s largest ground-source heat pump manufacturer. It has taken time, but this is just the news that Kensa was hoping for.

James Priestley, the CEO, said: “The Future Homes Standard is a hugely positive step. It gives the UK a clear route away from gas and sends a strong signal that clean, efficient heating is the default for new homes. We firmly believe networked ground source heat pumps are the best solution.

“Confirmation of the details and timeframe allows us to invest and build our supply chain with confidence, scale UK manufacturing and deliver for our customers.”

Good news for cheaper bills. Good news for energy security. Good news for the environment. And, ultimately, good news for jobs in Cornwall.