Policy & Regulation
Heat
Electric storage heating – a Cinderella solution
Why has electric storage heating been overlooked as we seek to tackle decarbonising domestic heat?
Power
Time for less talk and more action on decarbonisation
Core "oven-ready" solutions to decarbonising heat and transport exist today and should be implemented without delay, says WPD's future power networks expert.
Gas
Editor’s blog: The biggest tests of resilience are yet to come
Network content director Jane Gray reflects on the industry's coronavirus response to date and the challenges still to come.
Gas
Fresh pressure to regulate heat decarbonisation
New policy paper calls for a heating emissions standard
Heat
Achieving the UK’s zero carbon goals should include CHP
Combined heat & power (CHP) offers a wide range of advantages including financial, efficiency, ecological and legislative support
Heat
Leaked DEFRA report says net zero goal may increase air pollution
A leaked report from DEFRA warns that a move to burning hydrogen to heat UK homes risks increasing nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution in towns and cities.
Policy & Regulation
Government abandons opposition to subsidising new onshore windfarms
The UK government has abandoned its opposition to subsidising new onshore windfarms. This is over four years after ministers scrapped support for new projects effectively putting an end to new project developments.
Heat
The devolution dilemma – pros and cons for the net zero agenda
Almost a year after the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) issued its recommendation that the UK should up its decarbonisation game and embrace a 2050 net zero emissions target, the battle to mitigate climate crisis continues to dominate in political, industrial and public dialogue, writes Jane Gray following this week's Future Networks conference.
Heat
Flex uptake needs tougher targets, warns Energy UK
Progress on unleashing the potential of network flexibility has been "slow and patchy" and the UK risks failing to make the most of the opportunity, warns a new report published this week by Energy UK.
Heat
Energy white paper due end of March, whip confirms
A government whip has confirmed that the delayed energy white paper, giving an indication of the government's views on decarbonisation policy and the role of nuclear energy, is to be published by the end of March.
Policy & Regulation
Ofgem to review WPD’s record on vulnerable customers
Ofgem has announced that it is launching an investigation into whether Western Power Distribution (WPD) has acted in compliance with rules around updating its Priority Services Register.
Gas
Laying the foundations for heat network growth
Government proposals to increase customer protection and accelerate decarbonisation across heat networks, now backed by a multi-million funding commitment, are welcome news, says Switch2 Energy chief executive Richard Slee
Gas
Ofgem scopes out fast-forward systems operation review
Ofgem has revealed more details about its review of system operations on both the gas and electricity networks, less than one year since the last major shake-up in the electricity grid.
Gas
Ofgem scopes out fast-forward systems operation review
Ofgem has revealed more details about its review of system operations on both the gas and electricity networks, less than one year since the last major shake-up in the electricity grid.
Power
Ofgem approves UKPN to access smart meter data
UK Power Networks has become the second Distribution Network Operator to secure Ofgem approval to access smart meter data for households and small businesses in its patch, after the regulator approved its data security plan.
Policy & Regulation
Ofgem approves UKPN to access smart meter data
UK Power Networks has become the second Distribution Network Operator to secure Ofgem approval to access smart meter data for households and small businesses in its patch, after the regulator approved its data security plan.
Gas
Paying for net zero –
The UK's 2050 net zero emissions commitment has added urgency to calls for a review of the allocation of decarbonisation costs. Jane Gray reports on a recent Network debate event, hosted in association with National Grid.
Gas
New energy management models needed after Ofgem review
Significant changes to network charging methodology announced by Ofgem are likely to have a major impact on industrial and commercial (I&C) energy bills from April 2021, writes Charlie Ward of New Stream Renewables.
Gas
Decarbonisation Action Plan targets greenwashed energy tariffs
The energy regulator Ofgem has published its Decarbonisation Action Plan, which has seen support for its targeting of greenwashed energy tariffs.
Gas
Ofgem launches low carbon Action Plan in nine steps
New Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley used his first day in post to publish the regulator's Decarbonisation Action Plan, setting out nine steps the regulator plans to make in the next 18 months to meet the 2050 net-zero challenge.
Power
Johnson toughens up targets on coal power and EVs
Prime minister Boris Johnson has announced that the UK will eliminate all coal-powered electricity generation by 2024 - a year earlier than originally planned - and will outlaw the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035 rather than 2040.
Gas
Ofgem’s RIIO-1 electricity framework too lax, says NAO
Consumers paid too much for their electricity during the RIIO-1 price control period after Ofgem set performance targets for the network companies too low and allowed them over-generous cost budgets, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).
Gas
Ofgem to review 600 MW Shetland HVDC link plan
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission (SSEN Transmission) has resubmitted its investment case for a new transmission link for Shetland to energy regulator Ofgem, in a similar proposal to the submission that was put on ice last October.
Gas
RIIO-2 business plans fail on net-zero, says Ofgem panel
Ofgem's RIIO-2 Challenge Group has criticised most of the energy companies that submitted their business plans in December for lacking strategic vision on reaching net-zero, although National Grid ESO was given an honourable mention.
Gas
ENA to publish DSO implementation plan summer 2020
The Energy Networks Association (ENA) has launched an eight week consultation on the draft 2020 Work Plan for the Open Networks Project, the cross-sector collaboration that is laying the groundwork for the network operators' transition to become Distribution System Operators (DSO).
Gas
Low carbon heat must go electric in 2020, says GSHPA
The chairman of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA) has told Network that 2020 will be a key milestone on the road to net-zero, when it plans to "build a significant coalition for the decarbonisation of heat through electrification".
Policy & Regulation
Expert team to advise Citizens’ Assembly on climate change
Three groups of experts have been appointed to advise the soon-to-be-established Citizens Assembly on climate change, an initiative that has been jointly commissioned by cross-party MPs on six parliamentary committees.
Gas
Power companies pay £10.5m for 9 August black out
Ofgem's investigation into the 9 August power outages has led to £4.5m pay outs by the owners of two generators - Hornsea One and Little Barford - that lost connection to the grid, as well as £1.5m from UK Power Networks for reconnecting customers too soon.
Gas
Queen’s Speech promises net-zero policies in 2020 budget
The Queen's Speech from the new Conservative government this week reaffirmed its commitment to achieving net-zero and investing in renewable energy, but contained little in the way of detail, promising instead that the first budget will prioritise a range of net-zero enablers.
Gas
Ofgem sets ‘tough but fair’ ground rules for RIIO-ED2
Ofgem has laid out the underlying framework for the RIIO-ED2 price control period for electricity, ahead of further consultation from the regulator next year to define the specific methodologies.
Gas
New Johnson mandate to shape post-Brexit trade and net-zero
The Conservatives' decisive victory in the General Election sets the country on the path to Brexit and EU trade deal negotiations, including talks on the future trading arrangements for the gas and electricity flowing through interconnectors to Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Ireland and Denmark.
