Michael Shanks MP outlines the government’s energy strategy, including plans to decarbonize power, make bills cheaper, support solar, turbocharge the economy and mitigate cyber threats at UKAI Summit
London Friday 17th July 2026: Energy Minister Michael Shanks has called for Britain to be at the forefront of the AI revolution, harnessing the technology to improve energy systems, reduce costs for consumers and protect against cyber attacks.
Addressing the UKAI trade association infrastructure working group on Tuesday night in Westminster, he said: “We need to deliver energy security here at home, but we need to bring down bills. And affordability is the government's number one mission and will be even more of a focus when Andy Burnham comes to Prime Minister on Monday.”
On energy infrastructure he said: “There's a bit of work we've got to do on the narrative around AI in data centres. I worry if we're not careful, we could lose some of that argument with the public. We've got to really make the case that this is an opportunity for Britain to be at the forefront of the AI revolution, but also as an opportunity for bringing down bills and for using the system better. If we're not careful.”
In a wide-ranging speech, Shanks also discussed the role of renewables and solar power in terms of supporting consumers tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
He also discussed making use of local energy markets, community energy and balancing energy needs locally instead of just relying on the national grid.
On cyber threats, Mr Shanks said: “The cost of resilience and the threats this country faces are growing day by day and the landscape is shifting to state actors and others who are employing AI in order to find vulnerabilities in our infrastructure. The country faces threats every day and increasingly they're because of fairly amateur groups who utilise AI to find vulnerabilities that previously would have taken state actors years to do.”
Attendee Justin Tilley, Retail Channel Lead at EcoFlow said: “It was encouraging to hear the minister set out his vision for using technology to modernise the UK’s energy infrastructure. As households continue to face high energy costs, exploring the role that solar and battery storage can play in the energy mix will be critical to helping consumers take greater control of their energy use, lower their bills, and strengthen the UK’s long-term energy resilience.”
Graeme Stewart, Head of Public Sector, Check Point said added: "AI-enabled cyber attacks pose a severe threat to Britain's critical national infrastructure, with criminals and hostile states seeking to knock-out our country's energy infrastructure. A single attack could cause chaos for the government, impacting the daily lives of consumers and leaving them without core utilities and essential power supplies.
“The new Cyber Resilience Bill provides the basic framework, but it's up to policymakers and business leaders to put these essential security measures into practice. We'll already seen the damage groups like Scattered Spider can do to our transport system, so let's not give them the chance to repeat it against our energy systems."
The challenges and opportunities surrounding AI, energy resilience, decarbonisation and infrastructure will continue to shape conversations across the sector. These topics will be explored further at Energy, Fuels & Decarbonisation (EFD) Expo, where thousands of professionals will come together this September to discover the latest technologies, insights and solutions driving the future of sustainable energy.
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About ESS Expo: Environmental Services & Solutions Expo (ESS Expo) is the UK's largest cross-sector environmental event, taking place annually at the NEC Birmingham. ESS Expo 2026 runs 16-17 September and unites seven co-located industry shows spanning resource, waste management, recycling, water management, air quality, sustainable engineering, decarbonisation, land remediation, circular economy, net zero, energy from waste, and geotechnical engineering. Register free at ess-expo.co.uk.
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