The Government’s plans to reform the planning system and incentivise investment in renewable energy projects must be accompanied by an acceleration in grid connections if the UK is to avoid further delays to deployment of projects. Matt Brailsford, Founder of Custom Solar and Head of Consulting, Construction & Development at Mitie, outlines how the Connections Action Plan can be used to deliver a step change in the pace of connections.
The future of decarbonisation relies upon access to green power, notably renewable energy, electric vehicles and heat pumps; this will all need to be powered via reliable grid connections with the ability to export excess power.
With our customers’ increasingly requiring us to accelerate them towards net zero, demand for grid connections is also bound to grow in the coming years. Yet bureaucratic barriers stand in the way of us and others in the industry supporting on the transition to the full extent of our ability when we are facing a serious log jam for grid connections. This puts the UK at serious risk of not hitting Net Zero targets, (even the dialled-back version of those targets outlined by the Conservative Government in 2023).
The logjam means we need to play catch up. We know that the Government wants to remove the planning barriers to allow onshore wind and solar to be built. However, that won’t make a difference without the grid connections to transport the power to where it is consumed, and this could result in an even bigger queue for connectivity. As it currently stands, there are more than £200 billion worth of projects stuck in a connectivity waiting list that could last up to 15 years – these delays act as obstacles to incentivising organisations to invest in electrification.
When we talk about Net Zero, the significance of the grid is evident in the numbers. For electric vehicles, there’s a huge challenge ahead. It’s estimated that up to 660,000 additional charge points (and therefore associated grid connections) will be required by 2035 – compared to 66,779 today.* As for heat pumps, also reliant on grid connections, the UK will need to install 19 million heat pumps before 2050 to meet its emissions targets.
There is a sizeable task at hand. Yet we as an industry stand ready to take on these challenges and see no reason why, if companies like us are empowered and enabled to develop primary infrastructure, the UK can’t accelerate grid connections and meet its original net zero targets. Already, one of our companies, Rock Power Connections, has installed 300 11kv distribution substations across the UK that power local infrastructure, including ultra rapid EV charging hubs, schools, business parks and supermarkets. Similarly, G2 Energy has completed more than 20 battery energy storage solution (BESS) developments connected to the grid. However, there is still a long way to go and a lot of untapped expertise in the market that could be put to better use.
Collaboration leads to connections
The Connections Action Plan includes a call for network companies, the system operator, and the sector to deliver a major step change in the pace of connections. We believe this is the right approach and have already seen how collaboration can lead to connectivity through our work with National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the largest distribution network operator (DNO) in the UK, with whom we have so far partnered to upgrade or construct over 150 new primary substations.
To achieve more of this, the Connections Action Plan must address the following areas:
1. Approve suppliers to secure assets
As well as looking to partners to build primary infrastructure, DNOs must be open to working with external suppliers of materials. An enhanced list of approved suppliers would ensure high quality, trusted partnerships can be formed to accelerate connections and tackle the queue. In some cases, the lead time for equipment has increased from 10 to 40 weeks as supply chains are increasingly stretched. A larger pool of approved suppliers could help address this.
2. Streamlined legal processes to allow a speedier rollout
The legal process could be streamlined for a speedier roll out of electrical infrastructure. For example, infrastructure will be delivered quicker if DNOs permit providers to complete the works and energise the infrastructure whilst waiting for legal completion. ‘Energisation’ phase – the last stage in linking a high voltage connection to the grid – is often delayed due to there being a limited number of approved suppliers to complete this. By allowing for it to be finalised while legal completion takes place, the power can be ‘locked’ so it is ready to use once legal approval is in place.
3. Introduce accountability
By introducing an Ofgem-mandated time limit (preferably six months) for DNOs to complete reinforcement work, we can clamp down on connection delays. With no enforceable deadline, installers can’t hold DNOs accountable for late delivery of critical works and organisations have no certainty over when projects will be completed. The installation of new electrical infrastructure is often the pre-cursor to wider green investments but without certainty over timelines, making a case to invest in such projects is significantly diminished.
A jump-start is overdue
Despite the barriers, the industry has still made progress towards improving access to the grid. Rock Power Connections alone has deployed rapid EV charging infrastructure in more than 100 locations and we have a further 100 EV sites live or in design. This means we will soon double our contribution to the rapid charging network – clear evidence of the appetite for such projects.
The industry has shown it has the skills and the intentions to alleviate the logjam. If we are to give electric Britain a much-needed jump-start and encourage green investment, it is now time for collaboration, and for the reforms highlighted in the Connections Action Plan to be implemented to allow for an integrated industry effort.
* ZapMap data, as of August 2024