The Octopus Energy report shows how to speed up connection to the green grid

Increasing competition in the connection process and better cooperation between developers are two other areas that will help unlock the UK’s colossal green energy potential.

Implementing this five-point plan could unlock new wind and solar farms providing clean electricity to around 2.5 million homes, meeting the combined electricity needs of households in Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds each year.

The report, from the manufacturing arm of Octopus, which manages £6 billion of renewables and energy transition projects, is much needed. In the UK, queues for connection to the electricity grid are among the longest in Europe – over 200 GW of wind and solar projects are currently waiting to be connected.

Tackling this problem requires greater urgency, as highlighted by a recent government committee report showing how the UK is putting its targets for a fossil-free economy at risk due to problems with slow network connections.

Connecting more wind and solar farms will give British homes cheaper self-produced energy and lower energy costs, as renewable energy sources such as wind and solar continue to be the cheapest sources of energy and prices have fallen sharply in the last decade.

Recommendations included in the new report entitled “End the deadlock” is based on Octopus’ own experience in the development of renewable energy sources and on investments made by the funds it manages.

A five-point plan to reduce grid connection times for renewable energy projects:

Proactively jumping the queue to connect further renewable energy projects

Enforce a sunset clause on network offers so that old fossil fuel-based offers don’t take up space

A clearer ‘can do’ approach powered by data and technology, creating ‘zones’ ready for the rapid development of renewables

Increasing competition in the process of connecting to the network

Enable collaboration between developers to share and reduce connection costs

“To improve the UK’s chances of harnessing the prodigious renewable energy opportunities and rapidly reduce energy bills, we need to connect low-cost, green projects to the grid faster,” said Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation. “There is no time to waste during the energy crisis – we must end the impasse now. The single biggest blocker for renewable energy sources is waiting to be connected to the grid, so we’ve identified quick solutions that can make a real difference today and connect wind and solar farms at a rapid pace. If we act quickly, we can reduce our reliance on expensive, polluting fossil fuels and give British homes and businesses a cheaper, greener energy future.”

Additional information:

Octopus energy