SSE and Statkraft Complete First Financial Swap on Modo Energy Index
Executive Summary SSE and Statkraft have announced the completion of the first financial swap on the Modo Energy BESS GB (2H) Index The value for both companies is in providing a fixed revenue stream for a portion of SSE’s battery capacity, while providing additional battery exposure for Statkraft’s portfolio For Modo Energy, the premise is […]
‘Unprecedented’ Business Coalition Calls for Hidden Taxes to Come Off Electricity Bills
Executive Summary More than 120 organisations, described as an ‘unprecedented’ business coalition, have called to take levies off electricity to lower business prices and bolster electrification of energy demand Current discounts, such as a recently announced VAT cut on domestic electricity and details in last year’s Budget, are seen as short-lived by the coalition The […]
Renewables, Grid Reform, and Why AI Can Be the ‘Quiet Enabler’
Executive Summary The question of whether renewables are overwhelming the energy grid comes to the wrong conclusion – it’s a system management challenge, not a failing policy one The speed of development in data centres and AI puts pressure on grid capacity and delivery – but there is an argument to say it can be […]
First Bus Expands EV Charging Technology Trial Across Glasgow Depot
Executive Summary First Bus is continuing its work with energy management specialist Optimo Energy expanding a trial for technology designed to better manage EV charging across a major Glasgow bus depot The project has scaled from 34 to 172 charging outlets across Caledonia, one of the UK’s largest depots, with a potential 12MW charging load […]
EDF Signs Two Long-Term BESS Projects With Trinasolar
Executive Summary EDF has signed two BESS project agreements with Trinasolar covering a combined 179.8 MWh of storage capacity in England and Scotland The projects are for sites near Aberdeen and in Gloucestershire, expected to be operational in October 2026 and March 2027 respectively EDF’s Powershift platform will provide long-term revenue certainty for Trinasolar while […]
Study Explores Disparity Between Proposed Data Centre Locations and Installer Workforce
Executive Summary Wales has 13% of the national data centre pipeline coming its way but only 4% of the total number of electrical installers, according to a new analysis from Horizon Platforms In contrast, the West Midlands has only three schemes and more than 50,000 construction workers than its share of the pipeline needs “The […]
Energy Transition Monitor Shows Clean Electricity Growth But Grid Bottleneck Remains
Executive Summary The Energy Transitions Commission has released its latest Energy Transition Monitor report, showing a ‘two-speed’ transition towards clean electrification globally Around 60% of global emissions, primarily from power generation and road transport, are rapidly being addressed by electrification at very little cost, with renewables supplying 99% of the growth in global electricity generation […]
Nexeon Gets National Wealth Fund Backing in £100m Round for Battery Tech
Executive Summary Nexeon, a UK-based developer of technology enabling production of higher energy density lithium-ion batteries, has secured £52.6 million in funding from the UK’s National Wealth Fund The company’s technology can help to reduce charge times and extend the range of electric vehicles among other use cases The company’s total funding round is at […]
EY: UK Remains Second in Europe for Energy Investment Projects
Executive Summary The UK remains the second most attractive location in Europe for energy-related Foreign Direct Investment projects in 2025, says EY While international investors rank the UK positively for renewable energy generation and clean technology opportunities, the high cost of energy remains a barrier for investment The UK can ‘build on its perceived advantages […]
National Grid Invests £624m in Contracts to Support UK Energy Supply Chains
Executive Summary National Grid has launched £624 million of contracts across 78 companies in England and Wales to support critical electricity network maintenance, as part of its wider £40 billion investment programme One project at a major converter station could support around 270 local jobs, provide more than 3,000 apprenticeship weeks, as well as benefit […]
METLEN Signs Largest UK Deal in Expanded European BESS Footprint
Executive Summary METLEN has signed a Balance of Plant contract with Pulse Clean Energy for a 129MW BESS project in the West Midlands – the largest project to date in the UK in terms of storage capacity Across the UK, METLEN has delivered or is currently working on approximately 30 battery storage units, including hybrid […]
Plug-In Solar Becomes Legal in the UK: The Industry Reacts
Executive Summary As of 27 August, plug-in solar is on sale in the UK, with Amazon, Argos, Curry’s and Wickes all committing to stocking panels Various companies have reacted and released news following the launch, with OVO offering a full plug-in solar offering in the coming months “Plug-in solar opens up clean energy to a […]
UK Government Launches £28m Ultra-Long Duration Energy Storage Challenge
Executive Summary The Ultra-Long Duration Energy Storage (Ultra-LDES) Challenge, with £28 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation (URKI) aims to support the development of new technologies focused on energy storage, including advanced batteries and underground hydrogen The government notes that underground hydrogen storage has the potential to reduce total energy system costs by […]
The Great Grid Upgrade: South Yorkshire and East Midlands Substations Latest Approval Secured
Executive Summary Planning permission has been granted for all three new substations across south Yorkshire and the east Midlands in the latest leg of the National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade programme The news represents the latest development in a summer of progress for the programme, the largest overhaul of the electricity grid for generations, including […]
Masdar’s Second UK BESS Project Begins Commercial Operations
Executive Summary UAE renewable energy company Masdar has announced commercial operations have begun on its second UK BESS project, a 35 MW / 70 MWh facility in Rochdale The first project is a 20 MW / 40 MWh facility in Stockport which began operations in December, while other projects in Chesterfield and Cardiff are currently […]
Scotland Brings in New 50MW Data Centre Planning Direction
Executive Summary Scotland has issued a new direction requiring notification for data centre developments exceeding 50 MW of power capacity The direction will ‘support strategic monitoring of the pipeline of such planning applications and of the implications for wider infrastructure’ Scotland, comparative to the rest of the UK, lacks guidance on how developers and local […]
Verdant and Aura Power Merge For Leading UK Solar and BESS Capability
Executive Summary Verdant and Aura Power have announced a merger to create a platform of approximately 1 GW of operating and under-construction solar and battery storage assets in the UK, alongside around 10 GW in development Aura Power, the more established company of the two, has more than 2.1 GW of solar and battery storage […]
Getting the Balance Right: The Solar Eclipse and NESO’s Fourth Summer EMN
Executive Summary The National Energy System Operator (NESO) issued its fourth electricity margin notice (EMN) of the summer for the recent solar eclipse While it is a normal operational tool – and while a solar eclipse on this scale is an extremely rare event – the EMNs amid the summer heatwaves showcase the balance required […]
Latest £1 Million Electrical Safety Fund Opens for Applications
Executive Summary Electrical Safety First’s latest electrical safety fund, to the tune of £1 million with £10,000 available for individual projects, is now open for applications Among the previous projects to gain funding included an initiative to train volunteers visiting homes to carry out electrical safety checks, while another was an interactive game teaching children […]
European Energy Secures £58.1m Funding For Cornwall Solar and Battery Project
Executive Summary European Energy’s recently announced £58.1m in funding, for the Indian Queens hybrid renewable energy project in Cornwall, will support the ongoing construction of the project, which began in May The project combines 68 MW of solar generation with a 47.5 MW / 95 MWh BESS on a shared grid connection Hybrid projects ‘are […]
Research Explores Asymmetric UK Fuel Demand – and Impact on Electricity
Executive Summary A new study has noted how electricity has traditionally been more sensitive to changing prices and conditions than gas – which may have an impact on the UK’s clean energy ambitions The researchers, from Loughborough and Nottingham Trent universities, examined how different UK industrial sectors changed their gas and electricity consumption in response […]
New Research Outlines ‘Concerning’ Scale of Near Misses Among UK Electrical Professionals
Executive Summary 86% of electrical professionals admit they have experienced an ‘electrical incident’ at work, while 78% have experienced a ‘near miss’, according to Martindale Electric 86% of those polled said they were ‘very familiar’ with Safe Isolation Procedures – yet only 55% said they always followed it in full before starting work More than […]
ContourGlobal and CATL Sign 3 GWh Battery Supply Agreement for UK and More
Executive Summary ContourGlobal has secured 3 GWh of battery supply from CATL for its projects in the UK, Greece, and Chile The technology involved is a containerised liquid cooling integrated BESS solution, with containers all configured for four hours of continuous discharge Design features include built-in fire detection and suppression architecture, while future grid stability […]
BEV Registrations Going Up, Says SMMT – Yet ‘Urgent’ ZEV Mandate Reform Needed
Executive Summary Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations have risen 44.5% for the month of July according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), with BEV registrations for light commercial vehicles rising almost 75% While BEVs are expected to claim more than a quarter (27.4%) of new car registrations, it is still well short […]
JTL Warns UK Electrical Workforce Falling ‘Thousands’ Short
Executive Summary The electrical workforce in England has risen slightly – by just over 1,000 – in 2025 but is still falling well short of targets, particularly with regard to grid upgrades, low carbon technologies, and data centre workloads JTL, the industry charity for electrical and plumbing apprenticeships, noted from its projection modelling that around […]