For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk NATIONAL ENERGY SYSTEM OPERATOR NESO report unveils plans to deliver clean power


The UK’s National Energy System Operator (NESO) has concluded that delivering clean power by 2030 is achievable, according to new analysis.


The Clean Power 2030


report was commissioned by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero as part of the government’s mission to make Britain a global leader in renewable energy. It sets out how the country can build, connect and operate a clean power system within the next six years, while maintaining security of supply.


The analysis indicates that


achieving this target could potentially reduce household energy bills by approximately £27 per year and lower wholesale electricity


prices by around £10 per megawatt-hour. However, the report also acknowledges the significant challenges ahead, stating that achieving the 2030 goal will require an expansion of energy networks on a scale not seen since the 1960s. According to NESO, this transformation is achievable but will require substantial investments and rapid progress in infrastructure development. To meet the clean power


target, NESO has proposed two strategies. The first emphasises a considerable increase in renewable energy generation, particularly offshore wind, while the second focuses on utilising carbon capture and hydrogen technologies. The report highlights the need for nearly 1,000


kilometres of new power lines and 4,800 kilometres of undersea cables. This level of construction would require more than double the total infrastructure built in the past decade, with many projects needing to commence within the next six months to two years. Despite the ambitious


goals, the report suggests that Britain’s existing stock of gas-fired power plants will remain essential as a backup to ensure reliability in 2030, even if the decarbonisation targets are met. NESO’s analysis concludes that the UK could become a net exporter of electricity by the end of the decade.


In Brief


● Cardiff-based home energy efficiency company, City Energy Network, plans to recruit at least 2,000 new workers over the next three years to meet demand for its services such as insulation, heat pump, and solar panel installations. The recruitment drive includes hiring 270 apprentices and training over 3,000 learners per annum.


● Good Energy Group has acquired Amelio Enterprises Limited, a Lincolnshire-based solar installation company, to enhance its capabilities in decentralised energy services. This acquisition expands Good Energy’s presence in the commercial solar sector, particularly in education and public projects.


● The new Aermec UK website features updated and informative content designed to boost customer experience and provide a deeper understanding of its product offerings and energy efficient solutions. The site offers a modern, user-friendly design with intuitive navigation, ensuring responsiveness across PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.


● Renewable energy storage specialist Apatura has secured planning permission to build and operate a new 100 megawatt (MW) capacity Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Tealing near the city of Dundee on Scotland’s east coast.


Which energy providers top sustainability table?


In the latest annual sustainability rankings from Which?, Octopus Energy, Ecotricity and Good Energy have emerged as the top energy providers for their green credentials. The three companies received the Which? Eco Provider endorsement, achieving full marks for their practices in buying and selling renewable energy, as well as their greenhouse gas emissions. The consumer champion’s analysis


involved asking the providers a series of questions about sustainability practices and their answers were assessed with a points-based scoring system. Which? also gave points to providers that supplied green gas and offered time-of-use (TOU) products and above average rates for solar export.


EIBI | NOVEMBER � DECEMBER 2024


Ecotricity and Good Energy have been named Eco Providers for four years in a row while Octopus Energy makes the list for the second year running. Octopus, which scored 90%, generates renewable power from solar, onshore and offshore wind, and also buys it directly from generators. It has a choice of flexible tariffs as well as one of the more generous rates for solar export.


The energy provider also installs a


range of low-carbon technology for customers and says that it has made it possible for customers to install and run a heat pump for a similar cost to a gas boiler. Meanwhile, Ecotricity, which scored 85%, generates electricity from wind and solar power and invests profits into


building more renewable generation. It has built 24 wind parks (74 turbines) since 1995 and recently completed two new solar parks. Ecotricity is one of only four firms that sells green gas (biomethane). Unlike other firms that scored top points, it does not yet offer a solar export tariff. Good Energy also scored 85%. It buys enough electricity from renewable generators to cover all its customers’ usage, matching over 90% of it on a half-hourly basis. The company buys much of its electricity from small-scale generators which are not supported by government subsidies, meaning it supports generators which might not otherwise exist. Of the gas the provider sells, 10% is green and its solar export rates are among the more generous.


● Legrand UK & Ireland has announced the opening of a new electronics manufacturing hub in Northumberland next year, bringing 200 jobs to the local area and launching the latest electronics manufacturing centre of excellence for the Legrand Group in Europe. The new site will be home to Legrand’s CP Electronics lighting controls and Legrand Care brands.


● The government has confirmed that it will be introducing a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in 2027, as part of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UKETS). It is designed to penalise imports from countries without similar schemes. This mechanism will only cover six, rather than eight, sectors as originally proposed – excluded are both glass and ceramic.


07


NEWS UPDATE


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44