What is Great British Energy? This guide explains everything you need to know about the organisation.
Great British Energy (GBE) is a publicly-owned energy company, headquartered in Aberdeen. Driven by Labour government and sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the company was officially established on 15 May 2025, following the passing of the Great British Energy Act 2025.
The proposal for GBE was initially announced by Keir Starmer at the Labour Party conference in 2022, and was later set out as a key policy in the party’s 2024 general election manifesto. The initiative aims to achieve 100% clean power by 2030, and to create jobs, reduce energy bills, and enhance energy security in the UK.
GBE is backed by an £8.3 billion investment funded by a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies. It is led by CEO Dan McGrail, formerly of RenewableUK and Siemens Engines, and chaired by Juergen Maier, former CEO of Siemens UK.
What does Great British Energy do?
GBE doesn’t supply energy directly to households. Instead, it works with the private sector to scale investment in existing technologies and co-invest in emerging technologies such as green hydrogen, tidal power and floating offshore windfarms.
GBE aims to fulfil Labour’s energy vision in two main ways:
- Major investment in renewables: GBE will drive large-scale investments in renewable energy projects, including doubling onshore wind capacity, tripling solar power, and quadrupling offshore wind capacity by 2030. Its focus is on harnessing the UK’s natural resources to generate clean energy.
- Community and local involvement: GBE aims to enable community involvement where local authorities, co-operatives, and residents can propose and benefit from local energy projects, so that the impacts of renewable energy are distributed fairly across different regions and communities.
Great British Energy’s first strategic plan
The company launched its first strategic plan in December 2025, which outlines the company’s goals and targets. Between now and 2030, GBE says it will deliver:
- At least 15 GW of clean energy generation and storage assets – enough to power the equivalent of almost 10 million homes.
- £15 billion of mobilised private finance over time, driven by GBE’s investments and long-term partnerships.
- Support to over 1,000 local and community energy projects, expanding public participation and local control in the energy system.
- More than 10,000 jobs, directly supported through GBE-backed and funded projects, including in areas historically dependent on oil and gas.
- An income-generating portfolio, with income reinvested into more capacity.
To support the delivery of its mission, GBE has set out three priority areas for investment:
- GBE local, which will ensure that that communities and public services directly benefit from the clean energy infrastructure in their area.
- Onshore energy, with the view to unlocking the energy potential of UK land and strengthening grid stability across the country.
- Offshore energy, which aims to accelerate the UK’s leadership in deep-water offshore wind and drive long-term growth in the sector.
Achievements to date
Since its inception, GBE has spearheaded a number of initiatives in line with its ambitions. Over 250 schools across England have signed agreements to benefit from a share of up to £100 million in funding from GBE and government for new solar panels and other energy efficiency measures. Some 34 NHS trusts have done the same.
GBE has also secured backing for a major offshore wind project that will generate enough electricity to power up to 70,000 homes in Scotland, and has joined forces with industry and the Crown Estate to invest £1 billion in offshore wind supply chains. The company has also ringfenced £10 million for local authority partnerships that will support the creation of clean power projects across the country, including rooftop solar, onshore wind and hydropower.
Controversy around Great British Energy
While the creation of GBE has been largely welcomed by the energy industry, some have expressed concern over GBE’s impact on economic growth and its ability to deliver value for money.
Elsewhere, the company saw initial controversy in its plans to use solar panels manufactured by forced labour in China. Changes were later enforced to ensure GBE’s supply chains are slavery-free.
Finally, in June 2025, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves revealed that £2.5 billion of GBE’s £8.3 billion budget would be allocated to a separate nuclear power body set up by the Conservatives: Great British Nuclear, later quietly renamed Great British Energy – Nuclear.
Despite the name change the two bodies remain separate entities, although the move ignited a row between the government’s officials and GBE over the need to share funds that were originally promised to the newly-established energy company.
