Ofgem has launched a review of the microbusiness market. It believes small firms are ill-served by the current set up, with many paying over the odds in an “opaque” market. Ofgem said a “key focus of concern … is the activities of some brokers” and its review seeks views from small businesses about their experiences Read more…
Committee on Climate Change recommends net zero by 2050
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has advised government to set a more stringent decarbonisation target. Its latest report urges a net zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050, up from its previous recommendation of 80%. Government says it will study the findings. The CCC called for policymakers to act far more urgently in setting Read more…
Statkraft: When is a VPP not a VPP?
State-owned Statkraft is building a big stake in the UK flexibility market. It aims to bring businesses into its AI-driven virtual power plant and simultaneously sell them energy. Brendan Coyne reports Statkraft has quietly amassed a gigawatt of flexibility in the UK. It plans to double this by the summer while building a pipeline of Read more…
Vehicle-to-grid: Are we nearly there yet?
In its most recent Future Energy Scenarios, National Grid predicts up to 11m EVs on UK roads by 2030, and as many as 36m by 2040. All National Grid’s scenarios feature smart charging to manage peak demand. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services – using car batteries to balance the grid or arbitrage wholesale market prices via bi-directional Read more…
EVs, smart charging, V2G: Free conference, 9 April
Public and private sector organisations considering deploying electric vehicles (EV) charging infrastructure and/or switching fleets to battery-powered cars are invited to The Energyst’s EV Event. The conference, taking place 9 April, central London, provides a snapshot of the route from here, through smart charging, to vehicle to grid services – and the challenges and opportunities Read more…
Tempus launches fresh Capacity Market action, goes after the money
Tempus has launched legal action intended to force the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to cancel a planned Capacity Market auction that would ‘top up’ capacity levels for next year’s winter (so-called ‘T -1′ auction) and return payments made relating to two auctions held in 2016 and 2017. In a claim for Read more…
Warrington Council signs massive solar plus battery storage deal
Warrington Borough Council has signed a huge solar plus battery storage deal, enabling it to generate all of its electricity and make millions of pounds a year in profit. Both the council and Gridserve, the company behind the project, believe it creates a blueprint for other local authorities to follow. Warrington will pay £62.3m for Read more…
Shell buys DSR aggregator Limejump
Shell is to buy virtual power plant firm Limejump. The move follows Shell’s recent acquisition of home battery storage firm Sonnen. Shell, which sells energy directly to large industrial and commercial companies in the UK, also acquired household energy retailer First Utility a year ago. The fossil fuel company could now arguably be called a virtually Read more…
Onsite generation ‘will continue to boom’
Corporates have started to take carbon seriously. That will drive a boom in onsite generation and energy efficiency – regardless of Brexit, the end of subsidies and changes to charging regulations, believes Sustainable Development Capital Limited CEO Jonathan Maxwell. Brendan Coyne reports Five years ago, Maxwell was telling anybody who would listen that the most Read more…
Nottingham to tender for battery and 40 vehicle-to-grid chargers
Nottingham City Council will launch tenders for battery storage and bi-directional electric vehicle chargers in the next few weeks. The authority is one of four cities taking part in a EU-funded vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trial. It has ordered 40 new electric vehicles and plans to use them as part of an integrated system that combines vehicles, Read more…
London calling for £500m energy contract
This spring, the London Energy Project will launch a tender for up to £500m worth of energy per annum for public buildings and street lighting. The aim is to find the greenest, best value contracts that enable local authorities, health authorities and other public sector customers in London and the South to cut carbon and Read more…
EVs, smart charging and vehicle-to-grid: Your views required
The Energyst is asking readers for their views on electric vehicles (EVs). We hope to understand how public and private sector organisations perceive EVs, whether they are considering implementing charging infrastructure and to gauge attitudes towards smart charging and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services. Please take our short survey. Anonymised answers will form part of the research component Read more…
Capacity Market top up auction planned for summer 2019
The UK government has reiterated that it hopes to re-start the Capacity Market as soon as possible and intends to run a ‘top up’ auction next summer. The market was suspended last month following a legal challenge by Tempus Energy. The European Commission now has to undertake a formal investigation after the General Court of Read more…
1GW of flex sought in London
A plan to unlock a gigawatt of peak flexible power resource in London by 2050 is underway. The GLA-backed Flex London project forms part of the Mayor’s plan to make the capital a zero carbon city. The authority, plus project partners, is bringing together public and private sector organisations that have the potential to provide Read more…
Beis Select Committee to investigate gas security
MPs will investigate UK gas security following pressure from major energy users. The Gas Security Group had been pushing for government to quantify the consequences of a lack of gas storage even before the cold snap last March forced National Grid to issue a warning that the UK was close to running out of gas. Read more…