Energy Management


Growing the Supply Chain for a Net Zero Energy


BEAMA’s Energy Supply chain event, which took place on 20 October, revealed a need for stable clear energy policy to drive inward investment.


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nergy supply chain representatives, manufacturers, infrastructure developers and key stakeholders, gathered at the BEAMA annual event in Westminster in October to debate the growing need for policy certainty to deliver UK energy security aligned with Carbon Budget 6.


Industry leaders agreed on net zero through electrification at the BEAMA event. All agreed that there were unprecedented opportunities identified for growth in the UK Energy Supply Chain, but serious issues remain. If the transition is managed with full cross industry input, integrating private finance, and clear government policy, pipelines of investment can be opened and the resilience of the UK energy supply chain improved. Aligning Net Zero and Energy Security is really how growth in the UK economy can be achieved.


Coinciding with the announcement of the Prime Minister’s resignation, the industry faces more delay and more uncertainty surrounding energy and net zero policy.


Alan Whitehead MP, Shadow Energy Minister closed his speech stating: “if the Energy Bill does not go through the house quickly, we will delay progress by a number of years. We need to get the Energy Bill back on track”. This statement was met with support from the audience as we seek to make rapid progress and drive inward investment into the UK.


David Joffe, head of Carbon Budgets at the Climate Change Committee, outlined in his keynote address the need to “unblock the politics on the delivery of a national mission on energy efficiency”.


This pivotal annual event provided an unprecedented platform for the energy system supply chain to come together in discussing the opportunities for growth in UK low carbon technology development, and current challenges in delivering progress at speed.


The supply chain needs policy certainty and a clear regulatory framework to ensure inward investment. The scale of ramp up needed and pace of infrastructure deployment to tackle the current energy crisis and ensure we meet


24 | electrical wholesaler December 2022


“The supply chain needs policy certainty and a clear regulatory framework to ensure inward investment.”


Carbon Budget 6 is unprecedented, and the collaboration presented at the BEAMA annual event is exactly what is needed to progress the UK market.


Other BEAMA members and key stakeholders also shared their thoughts.


Laura Fleming, CEO for Hitachi Energy in the UK and Ireland, said: “Electricity is the backbone of a net zero energy system, so it essential to make the grid ready for the energy transition. Indeed, there can be no energy transition without a flexible, secure, digital, and resilient grid. After a long period of under investment, we must invest at pace in a transmission system with the capacity to integrate a greater volume of renewables and able to accommodate increased electrification of transport and heating. Finally, we must also continue to build local supply chains which can deliver the scale of developments required to achieve net zero power by 2035.”


Toddington Harper, Gridserve CEO, commented: “Delivering Net Zero is the growth


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opportunity of our era. Green growth will deliver energy security, lower cost energy, and protection of our planet all at the same time. The economics are also now firmly on the side of solar energy, battery storage, and electric vehicles, so it’s time to be bold, to seize the day, look up, and deliver.”


Richard Halsey, capabilities director, Energy Systems Catapult said: “The energy transition has never been more critical. Both to our energy security and aspirations for growth. Our supply chains are key to delivering this and creating a smarter, cleaner future with green jobs and prosperity that builds a springboard for global competitiveness and national economic advantage.”


Dr Howard Porter CEO of BEAMA, who chaired the event, concluded: “Today we had almost complete agreement on the measures needed to take forward the electrical industry to meet not zero targets. We all remain open to work with any Government to start the process of investment and change. All agreed that a clear and distinct policy of support for investment and in net zero with full industry support, would deliver the growth in our economy that is needed, deliver on high quality jobs and reduce customers’ bills.”


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