The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has set out is new timeline for grid connections, saying the reform process will prioritise the projects needed to deliver the Government’s Clean Power by 2030 target.

From December NESO aims to start communicating the projects that have been successful in securing a place in the reformed connections queue.

Developed in close collaboration with Government, Ofgem, and network companies, this roadmap will provide milestones for developers, reducing project risk and enable customers and investors to plan ahead. This roadmap will also safeguard key programmes like Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions and the Regional Energy System Plan (RESP) for the future delivery of critical energy projects.

Christophe Williams, CEO of Naked Energy, commented: "It's promising that NESO is taking steps to speed up the grid connections process, as this will be vital for us achieving net-zero. However, the problem remains that too many projects will be waiting years to get connected. This isn't good enough for many businesses, they need to decarbonise now in order to hit their 2030 targets.”

Williams favours a greater emphasis on distributed energy provision, noting: “heat is the sleeping giant of the transition” and that more localised heart generation with renewables would make the transition smoother and even faster.

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