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Community Energy, Net Zero and London’s Electricity Grid

Sign up here: Community Energy, Net Zero and London’s Electricity Grid Tickets, Thu 29 Jul 2021 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

What does community energy in London need from RIIO-ED2?

About this event

Community energy groups often depend on working with their local electricity distribution network operator (DNO) to ensure the successful development of projects, from PV installations to heat pumps and battery storage to initiatives around demand reduction and local supply. This relationship will remain critical to the success of the sector and so Community Energy London (CEL) has undertaken research to examine how community energy can continue to successfully bring forward projects at a time of fundamental change for DNOs as they publish their business plans setting out their how they will respond to the energy transition and the achievement of Net Zero.

This event will examine :

  • The importance of RIIO ED2 to London’s Net Zero goal – Rick Curtis, Programme Manager, Smart Energy Systems, Greater London Authority (GLA)
  • Community Energy and RIIO-ED2 – Conrad Steel, Policy Consultant, Community Energy London (CEL)
  • UKPN’s recently released Draft Business Plan – speaker TBC

CEL will also be launching its report What does community energy in London need from RIIO-ED2? , researched and written by Conrad Steel, Policy Consultant for CEL.

Background

The past few years has seen an increased dialogue between DNOs and the community energy sector, with all DNOs creating resources for community energy groups in their area of operation, and the Energy Networks Association (ENA) establishing a Community Energy Forums network (see here and here). London’s DNO, UK Power Networks (UKPN) established a community energy resource webpage in 2019 along with a review of the sector at that time. In their recent letter to BEIS, the House of Commons Environment Audit Committee stated that:

Ofgem should improve its support of community-led renewable energy projects. It should acknowledge the vital benefits beyond energy decarbonisation, not provided by commercial projects, that community energy brings, for example by minimising connection charges for community projects that address grid and/or climate problems. We recommend Ofgem provides guidance to Distribution Network Operators on how to incorporate community energy into the energy network.”

This month saw a critical date for DNOs, with companies submitting their draft business plans to Ofgem outlining their proposals for billions of pounds of investment for the period 2023 to 2028 to help deliver smarter, decarbonised networks.

These business plans for this ‘price control’ period, also called RIIO-ED2, will now be reviewed by Ofgem. The demands of the energy transition and Net Zero will see significant change in distribution networks, with UKPN stating in their business plan (released 2 July 2021 – available here) that they are “forecasting up to 2.7 million EVs connected to its networks by 2028, up from just 150,000 in its regions today, as well as an additional 700,000 heat pumps over the same period.

A Zoom link will be emailed to all registered delegates

Following this event, CEL will be holding its regular monthly meeting (7-8pm): all are welcome to attend.

Further information – email [email protected]

www.communityenergy.london

Twitter @CommEnergyLDN