What are we asking politicians to put in their election manifestos?

When communicating policy to politicians and other members of the political class, it is important to distill your points into a few key asks (and take the wins where you can get them!). With this in mind, the ADE put together a short report that distills our work for each policy area into concise and easy to understand points - focusing on policies that are bold and can create good headlines, the detail and technical parts come in later conversations.What does it cover?Whole Systems: Create an accountable and transparent Future System Operator with a truly whole systems scope and the expertise to match. Ensure that households, businesses and industry are not thwarted in their ability to decarbonise by a lack of network infrastructure, whilst prioritising a smart and flexible grid ahead of laying dumb cables or power lines. Rebalance levies to support widespread electrification of heat. Legislate for the phase-out of gas boilers by 2035. Make sure local-based solutions are put at the heart of any future plans to decarbonise buildings and transport.Energy Efficiency: Implement widespread building standard reform to require Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) of a rating of C or higher across the owneroccupier and rented sectors. Require all mortgage lenders to have an Energy Efficiency Rating and Environmental Impact Rating of C or higher on average across their portfolios by 2028.Heat Networks: Set a target for at least 20% of UK heat to be supplied by heat networks by 2040 and to be the dominant form of heating in urban and semi-urban areas. Set out a clear strategy for meeting this target, including outlining how the new sector can foster the growth of jobs and skills needed. Deliver an investable environment for heat networks in the UK by: Reducing the burden on Local Authorities to deliver heat network zones. Removing the current cost premium for zero carbon heat within zones. Flexibility: Set targets for scaling up flexibility so we can use as much green electricity produced in the UK as possible, alongside targets for expanding renewable energy capacity. Reform electricity market arrangements to redistribute the value of energy from large generation to households, businesses and industry. Continue the growth of the valuable Demand Flexibility Service by removing market barriers for demand side response to ensure that all energy users are rewarded for their participation.Industrial Energy: Set out a clear, ambitious strategy for how industry outside of the North-East and North-West clusters will decarbonise and ensure that all industrial policy, and energy policy impacting industrials, reflects the likely slower pace of dispersed decarbonisation. Develop a plan to make sure that much needed new electricity and hydrogen networks don't hinder industrial decarbonisation.The full report contains further context around our asks, supportive facts/figures and a glossary for each policy stream.You can find the full report here!