The Electricity System Operator (ESO) has been tasked with creating a plan to achieve a decarbonised power system in the UK by 2030, with input from industry and stakeholders.
Fintan Slye, Executive Director of the ESO, has confirmed that the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has asked the ESO to develop a plan for achieving a fully decarbonised power system by 2030.
The ESO will transition to the National Energy System Operator (NESO) later this year, expanding its responsibilities to cover the entire energy system.
Mr Slye stated: “We welcome the ambition set by the UK Government and look forward to contributing by undertaking this critical analysis.”
He added that to develop the plan, the ESO will provide “a whole systems spatial view of what is required to deliver a clean, secure, operable electricity system by 2030.”
The plan will involve modelling various energy supply and demand scenarios, taking into account different levels of renewable deployment, flexibility and the use of low carbon technologies.
The analysis will also assess “what may be required to accelerate in flight generation types and network projects as well as what is required for them to do so.”
To support this effort, the ESO will conduct stakeholder engagement through two forums running throughout the Autumn.
“To ensure we capture these opportunities, we will engage extensively to develop credible pathways to achieve clean power by 2030 and build a solid foundation for economy-wide decarbonisation,” said Mr Slye.
