The UK’s energy regulator, Ofgem, is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the grid connection policy from a first-come first-served approach to prioritizing projects where generation capacity is needed the most and projects are at a more advanced stage of development.
Ofgem is seeking to reform the current connections regulation which has become inadequate as some early-queued projects have fallen behind schedule while more advanced projects are waiting for years to connect to the grid.
The proposed reform will fast-track solar and wind projects that can begin generating power at the earliest possible date, as part of the UK pledge to have clean power by 2030.
The planned change, for which Ofgem will accept feedback until March 14, would be “a targeted approach which prioritizes quicker connections for the right projects in the right place,” UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said.
“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power and storage is connected to electricity networks – that’s why we’re cutting back the red tape and replacing the out-of-date connections system,” said Ofgem’s director general for infrastructure, Akshay Kaul.
While the UK has made huge progress in clean energy installations in recent years – including becoming the first G7 nation to phase out coal power generation – much more is needed to have 95% clean power by 2030, as recently set by the Labour government.
Despite government pledges and efforts to have clean power provide nearly all of Britain’s electricity by 2030, the UK is on track to miss its wind and solar capacity targets as operational and investment constraints are hampering a faster pace of installations, consultancy Cornwall Insight said last month.
Getting closer to the goal will require market reforms and addressing other governance and regulatory issues in market access, on top of creating an investment climate and local industry supportive of clean energy installations, the consultants said.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
