Responding to the report published today by National Grid, “Delivering for 2035: Upgrading the grid for a secure, clean and affordable energy future”, RenewableUK’s Director of Future Electricity Systems Barnaby Wharton said:

“We need swift action to connect new renewable energy projects at the pace required to decarbonise the UK’s electricity system by 2035.

“Reforming the planning system to make it more agile is long overdue to ensure that decisions about clean energy infrastructure are taken faster more swiftly. We can’t carry on waiting for up to ten years to connect new projects to the grid at a time when we should be prioritising Britain’s energy security. Instead, we need to anticipate where grid is going to be needed, so infrastructure is in place as soon as it’s required. Giving Ofgem a new mandate to put delivering net zero at the heart of every decision it takes will help revolutionise the speed at which the UK could build a grid that is fit for purpose in the twenty-first century.  

“As this report highlights, the industry is working closely with the Government to enable renewable energy projects to share grid infrastructure, minimising its impact on communities and driving down costs. We also have opportunities to capitalise on exporting our surplus power to other countries by connecting more closely with them as we grow our clean energy capacity.

“Implementing these reforms will deliver cheap electricity to British consumers and enable us to maximise the number of new jobs we can create in this dynamic sector throughout the UK”.

National Grid’s report is available here.