A major scheme to unlock capacity for new energy generation has seen almost 1GW of projects accept fast-track offers to connect to the electricity network.

A total of 25 projects amounting to 836MW of generation are now set to connect as soon as they can build, under a new fast-track scheme developed by UK Power Networks’ Distribution System Operator in collaboration with the national system operator and other distribution networks.

The scheme is making connections now, when initially the parties were informed they could have to wait up to a decade to connect.

Customers who have had connection offers accepted include a 98MW solar farm in the East of England and a 100MW combined storage and solar site in the South East. These are among 14 projects in the East of England totalling 465MW and a further 11 schemes in Kent, Surrey and Sussex totalling 371MW. This volume of new generation amounts to roughly one fifth of the peak demand of the London distribution network.

The connections offers have been enabled under a new process led by UK Power Networks called Technical Limits, which leverages the insights and data developed through its Distributed Energy Resource Management (DERMS) platform to safely connect more generation to the network. These fast-track connections form the first phase in a series of capacity releases that are set to release multiple gigawatts of capacity for generation projects in 2024.

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