Post: NESO sets out vision for clean power future

NESO sets out vision for clean power future

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has released an analysis of how Great Britain can achieve a clean power system by 2030.

Published on 5 November, the Clean Power in 2030 report concludes that a clean power system would be operable and maintain the world-class reliability standards for a secure energy system and that overall systems costs should not increase for a clean power system. Government policy decisions could also reduce bills by 2030, it added.  

But delivering this requires swift action from industry, regulators, government, and NESO, necessitating significant changes in approach. It noted that the right supply, demand, networks and flexibility all need to be developed. A key challenge will be making sure all deliver simultaneously, in full and at maximum pace, in a sustainable way. To achieve this it said it was crucial that the value of flexibility is harnessed for households, businesses, suppliers and aggregators by unlocking markets, promoting engagement and removing wider barriers.

It also recommended that as much offshore wind capacity should be contracted as possible in the coming one to two years as in the last six combined, that the first-of-a-kind clean dispatchable technologies, such as carbon capture and storage and hydrogen to power be delivered and that the connection process is reformed in 2025 to align with the clean power goal and future strategic plans.

Alongside this report, NESO published a consultation on the methodologies which create the architecture for grid connections reform. The consultation proposes specific criteria and processes for reducing and reordering the connections queue. It marks a shift from the current “first come, first served” approach to grid connections, to prioritise those projects which are ready to proceed, and which align to the locational and technological mix needed for the future energy system, NESO said.