Feature: Power
Moving forward with
Connections Reform By Charles Deacon, MD of Eclipse Power Solutions
the queue, first served’ policy, and little governance over joining the connections queue, is a major problem. It has been inviting consultations and running working groups to find solutions to break the gridlock. In a continually changing landscape, the
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t’s no secret that the lengthy queue of development projects waiting for connections to electricity distribution and transmission networks has been a major concern for quite some time. Severe delays are putting
developments at risk as investment walks away from projects that may not secure connections for five-plus years. Te National Energy System Operator (NESO) has recognised that a ‘first in
latest Grid Connections Reforms, originally scheduled for implementation in January 2025 are likely to be delayed until Q2 2025. Tis is partly as a result of findings from a request for information (RfI) issued by the NESO in July 2024, which found that many technologies like batteries and PV far exceeded the requirements for the most optimistic decarbonisation forecasts. While this is a great vote of confidence in the UK power market, it suggests that it needs reining in a bit to avoid overheating. Tis has given rise to the call for Clean
Power 2030, brought in by the new Government and OFGEM to provide an action plan. Clean Power 2030 is an initiative
16 November 2024
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
set up to help accelerate the mission to decarbonise the UK’s electricity grid. Tis is a natural evolution from the
Mission Control for Clean Power announced in July 2024. It’s early days, and so inevitably there is still uncertainty about how the action plan with shape up. However, eight key industry and academic advisors have been appointed, and we are looking forward to the action plan.
Continual adjustment and evolution It’s clear that connections reform is very much a moving feast. In the meantime, projects still need to be connected. It’s like trying to fix an aircraſt while it’s in flight. Tere’s no way of stopping everything, resetting and going again. Fixes and reforms have to take place in a live operating environment, and they inevitably give rise to the next set of reforms. Tat said, progress is being made, albeit
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