Select committee: Environment and Climate Change Committee

Dunkelflaute and the risks of electricity intermittency

Open Opened 23 Jul 2026

Environment and Climate Change Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Inquiry scope (the committee's words)

This inquiry will consider how the UK can maintain a secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity supply during ‘dunkelflaute’ events – periods of low wind and solar energy generation. This will include an assessment of current UK preparedness for dunkelflaute conditions, future plans, and policy and regulatory gaps.

Where it stands

The inquiry is open, opened 23 July 2026.

The committee has not published a report yet.

Evidence

5 oral evidence sessionsLatest 3 November 2026
52 written submissions
14 witnesses

All evidence

Recent activity

Oral evidence session3 November 2026, Oral evidence
Oral evidence session28 October 2026, Oral evidence
Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power)28 October 2026, Written evidence · DRE0052

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions

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Date	Session and witnesses	Source
3 Nov 2026	Oral evidence session Bill Jones · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Michael Shanks MP · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero	View ↗
28 Oct 2026	Oral evidence session Julian Leslie · National Grid ESO, Peter Bingham · Ofgem	View ↗
21 Oct 2026	Oral evidence session Alex Weir · Baringa, Andy McNeill · Energy Storage Association, Marc Hedin · Aurora Energy Research, Nick Smailes · The Faraday Institution	View ↗
14 Oct 2026	Oral evidence session Brett Ryan · Hydrogen UK, Kisha Couchman · Energy UK, Martin Lambert · The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies	View ↗
16 Sep 2026	Oral evidence session Dr Emily Wallace · Met Office, Jon Saltmarsh · Energy Systems Catapult, Professor Keith Bell · UK Energy Research Centre	View ↗

Written evidence

52 submissions recorded

Submission metadata is shown here; use the source links to read the evidence on Parliament’s website.

Showing the latest 50 of 52 recorded submissions. Written evidence in the activity timeline uses this same preview. Browse the inquiry on Parliament.

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Reference	Date	Submitter
DRE0052 Full text not held	28 Oct 2026	Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power)
DRE0053 Full text not held	28 Oct 2026	Hydrogen UK
DRE0026 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	RenewableUK
DRE0027 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Innova Renewables
DRE0028 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Cadent
DRE0029 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Energy Systems Catapult
DRE0030 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Future Energy Networks
DRE0031 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Nuclear Industry Association
DRE0032 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	EDF
DRE0033 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	CCSA - Carbon Capture and Storage Association
DRE0034 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Dr Hannah Bloomfield, Newcastle University (UK)
DRE0035 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Renewable Investors Group (RIG)
DRE0036 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	SSE plc
DRE0037 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association
DRE0038 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Energy UK
DRE0039 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Octopus Energy
DRE0040 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers
DRE0041 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Evidence on dunkelflaute Mark Barrett, UCL Energy Institute
DRE0042 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Margaux Daly, University College London, Institute for Sustainable Resources
DRE0043 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	CNG Services Ltd
DRE0044 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Professor Christopher Vogel, University of Oxford
DRE0045 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Professor Richard Green, Imperial Business School
DRE0046 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	EnergyPathways
DRE0047 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	ENGIE UK
DRE0048 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	RWE
DRE0049 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Field
DRE0050 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	LirIC
DRE0051 Full text not held	22 Oct 2026	Renewable Energy Association
DRE0001 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Infinis
DRE0002 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	British Geological Survey
DRE0003 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Mr Stephen Browning, CEGB then National Grid (Now ESO) Electricity System Operator.
DRE0004 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Mr Lyle Bryant
DRE0005 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Mr Richard Martin, National Grid Electricity System Operator
DRE0007 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Island Green Power
DRE0008 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Professor Keith Bell, University of Strathclyde
DRE0009 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Davy Technology Ltd.
DRE0010 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	National Gas
DRE0011 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Hydrogen Energy Association
DRE0012 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	John Drake
DRE0013 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Institution of Engineering and Technology
DRE0014 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	British Hydropower Association
DRE0015 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Decent Cybersecurity Ltd.
DRE0016 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Haldane Energy
DRE0017 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Mr Eric Lewis, Eric Lewis - Enstore
DRE0018 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	David Simmonds
DRE0019 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	The MCS Foundation
DRE0020 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	British Hydropower Association
DRE0021 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	UK Energy Research Centre
DRE0022 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Cymru
DRE0023 Full text not held	21 Oct 2026	Dr Rachel Lee, 350 Strategy Limited

Who gave evidence

14 witnesses

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Witness	Organisation	Sessions
Alex Weir · Director and energy policy expert	Baringa	1
Andy McNeill · Senior Policy Consultant	Energy Storage Association	1
Bill Jones · Deputy Director for Future Electricity Security	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero	1
Brett Ryan · Policy Director	Hydrogen UK	1
Dr Emily Wallace · Fellow in Weather and Climate Extremes and Impact	Met Office	1
Jon Saltmarsh · Chief Technology Officer	Energy Systems Catapult	1
Julian Leslie · Head of Networks	National Grid ESO	1
Kisha Couchman · Deputy Director for Policy	Energy UK	1
Marc Hedin · Head of Research	Aurora Energy Research	1
Martin Lambert · Senior Research Fellow	The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies	1
Michael Shanks MP · Minister for Energy	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero	1
Nick Smailes · Special Projects Director	The Faraday Institution	1
Peter Bingham · Chief Engineer	Ofgem	1
Professor Keith Bell · Co-Director	UK Energy Research Centre	1