These Regulations, made on 10th March 2026 and effective 6th April 2026, introduce amendments across six major pieces of UK health and safety legislation governing offshore installations and pipelines, primarily to formally incorporate activities related to Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and offshore hydrogen production into existing safety, management, regulatory, and reporting frameworks, ensuring these nascent energy sectors are regulated under consistent safety standards previously applied to the offshore oil and gas industry.

The Treasury enacted these Regulations on March 11, 2026, immediately amending the Climate Change Levy (Fuel Use and Recycling Processes) Regulations 2005 to specify certain industrial uses as exempt from the Climate Change Levy.

Specifically, the amendments introduce hydrogen production via electrolysis and the use of natural gas as a carbon dioxide source in sodium bicarbonate production as 'wholly non-fuel uses', thereby removing the levy charge on the energy inputs for those specific processes.

The Oil and Gas Authority (Carbon Storage and Offshore Petroleum) (Specified Periods for Disclosure of Protected Material) Regulations 2025 specify the regulatory windows following data collection during which the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) or subsequent holders can disclose protected material, including information and samples, related to carbon capture and storage (CCS) and offshore petroleum activities.

These regulations establish different disclosure timelines based on the sensitivity and nature of the material—some information can be published immediately, while detailed technical data, well information, injection/production records, and physical samples are subject to defined confidentiality periods, often contingent on reporting deadlines, system closures, or licence determination events.

Furthermore, the instrument amends a 2018 regulation concerning offshore petroleum data to align its disclosure deadline with the "reporting deadline" specified by the OGA.

The Helios Renewable Energy Project Order 2025 grants development consent under the Planning Act 2008 for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a solar generating station and battery energy storage system in the North Yorkshire Council area, defining the scope of the authorised development, granting the undertaker powers for compulsory acquisition of land or rights, and establishing detailed preliminary provisions, street works, and specific protective requirements for various statutory undertakers including electricity, gas, water, drainage, and railway interests.

This Order enacts non-material changes to the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022, effective from December 19th, 2025, following an application for amendment.

Key revisions include adding a definition for 'Defra,' clarifying the named 'undertaker' as Norfolk Vanguard West Limited, and significantly modifying Part 3 of Schedule 17, which relates to compensation for impacts on the Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton Special Area of Conservation (HHW SAC) by introducing the Marine Recovery Fund Payment as an alternative management measure to specific marine debris removal tasks.

These Regulations establish the commencement dates for various provisions within the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, primarily setting 18th February 2026 as the start date for certain compulsory purchase order reforms and several aspects of Development Corporation powers, while bringing forward regulatory powers and provisions related to Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) immediately, alongside transitional measures to govern ongoing compulsory purchase procedures.

The Secretary of State has issued The Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2025, which makes non-material changes to the original 2021 Development Consent Order for the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm.

This Order, effective December 19th, 2025, officially incorporates a definition for Defra, updates the definition of the undertaker, corrects several precise geographical coordinates defining the authorized development, and significantly amends compensation provisions related to the Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton Special Area of Conservation (HHW SAC) by introducing the Marine Recovery Fund as a potential alternative to direct marine debris removal.

These Regulations amend the 2024 Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations, effective from January 1st, 2026, across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, primarily by introducing new definitions for fibre-based composite materials, refining producer responsibility during corporate mergers and acquisitions, and establishing specific rules and charges for reporting 'closed loop packaging waste' derived from food-grade plastic.

Furthermore, the amendments adjust the scope of exemptions for charities, update various financial charges outlined in Schedule 1, and empower the scheme administrator to appoint Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to assist in regulatory functions, alongside detailed transitional provisions for reporting historical data related to the new closed-loop category.