The UK's energy regulator, Ofgem, has announced a significant step towards a radical reform designed to fast-track the connection of cheaper, cleaner power to the national electricity grid. The new system, which could be implemented by spring 2025, aims to resolve the current backlog in grid connections by prioritizing projects that are ready and needed to meet the government's 2030 clean power targets.
The reform would replace the existing first-come, first-served system, where renewable energy generation and storage projects have faced delays of up to a decade. Under the proposed changes, projects that are capable of becoming operational quickly and are critical to meeting clean power goals will be fast-tracked. Offers for new connections are expected to be accelerated by the end of 2025, with the first projects connected and operational by 2026.
The renewable energy sector has welcomed the plan, particularly the proposal to remove “zombie projects” – speculative schemes that are clogging up the connection queue. Barnaby Wharton, Director of Future Electricity Systems at RenewableUK, said, “Promoting shovel-ready clean energy projects by removing speculative zombie schemes… would help to reduce the huge backlog of grid connection applications across the energy sector, which now stands at over 700 gigawatts.”
Wharton added, “As long as these measures are implemented in the right way, they should provide greater clarity for developers on faster timescales to connect to the grid, potentially unlocking up to £15 billion investment in offshore wind alone, helping us to reach the Government's target of clean power by 2030.”
Ofgem's Director General for Infrastructure, Akshay Kaul, highlighted that the reform is aimed at addressing delays in the existing system, which he called “outdated and unwieldy.” Kaul noted, “Britain will not get a clean power grid by 2030 unless an unprecedented volume of new renewable power and storage is connected to electricity networks – that's why we're cutting back the red tape and replacing the out-of-date connections system.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband emphasized the importance of the reform, stating, “We have enough energy projects in the grid connection queue to deliver clean power by 2030, but many are stuck behind speculative schemes, leading to delays of up to 10 years. These reforms are critical to deliver clean power by 2030, which will bring forward an estimated £200 billion of private investment.”
The UK government's Clean Power Action Plan requires a doubling of current grid capacity within the next five years. Ofgem's reform is seen as essential to unlocking investment, accelerating infrastructure, and connecting renewable technologies to the grid efficiently.
