The following summarises our views across some of the key themes from our response.
Data and alignment
Consistency between Distribution Future Energy Scenarios, RESP and local data is essential. Regen supports NESO’s efforts to align planning assumptions and ensure that RESP data complements, rather than duplicates, existing local and regional work. The interaction between NESO, DNOs and local authorities will be key.
Regen recommends:
- Strong coordination between NESO, DNOs and local authorities to align data and cycles
- A clear and transparent process for how strategic investment data flows between RESP and DNO business plans
- Open data standards so RESP outputs are accessible and usable at local levels. A shared data foundation will enable local authorities to link network capacity with development ambitions and ensure efficient investment.
Local use cases and value
Both the t-RESP and RESP must deliver a clear ‘so what’ value for local authorities. For councils balancing statutory duties with climate targets, the ability to translate t-RESP outputs into actionable insights is crucial. Governance arrangements which convey this to senior decision makers in local authorities will be essential to ensure continued engagement with the RESP process.
Our response calls for:
- Clear executive summaries and visualised key messages in NESO’s Nations and Regions Context reports
- Localised insights at sub-regional or authority level to help senior stakeholders understand implications for planning and delivery
- Integration of RESP data into local plan processes, net zero strategies and potentially methodologies for local area energy planning.
In time, we believe that the RESP has the potential to shift local energy planning efforts away from scenario analysis and towards detailed thinking about project delivery (e.g. governance, finance, skills and partnerships) by providing a shared evidence base for all actors. Regen will soon be publishing research under the Net Zero Living Programme which investigates these opportunities. Data clarity and transparency is a fundamental first step to make sure local authorities get as much value as possible from RESP.
Consistent Planning Assumptions
Regen welcomes NESO’s transparency in developing the Consistent Planning Assumptions (CPAs), which provide an important foundation for consistent DNO planning. Striking the right balance between cost-efficiency and resilience is critical. However, while efficient network build-out is essential to deliver value to consumers, several of the published CPAs could result in systematic under-build, increasing reliance on active management during peak periods.
The current electric vehicle CPAs, for example, imply relatively few home chargers per vehicle and widespread smart-charging behaviour. In practice, households with EVs and off-street parking are very likely to install a charger regardless of system-optimal deployment, and many will continue to charge at peak times.
Similarly, heat pump assumptions that depend on rapid energy-efficiency improvements and focus on average winter conditions risk underestimating peak demand. Regen’s work for the NIC showed how diversity loss and high heat demand during extreme cold spells materially increase required investment.
Regen sees flexibility, energy efficiency and anticipatory investment as complementary tools, and getting the balance right is essential for delivering a robust, cost-effective system. Designing a network for average conditions is reasonable to avoid over-build, but requires clear guidance about how networks demonstrate resilience under extreme peaks.
NESO should therefore set out explicit resilience requirements and publish CPAs that allow DNOs to stress-test lower flexibility uptake, slower efficiency progress and ‘1-in-20' cold events. A consistent approach to baseline capacity, supported by flexibility to optimise operation, will deliver a more resilient and pragmatic pathway to net zero.
Conclusion
The transitional RESP is an important milestone toward joined-up, regionalised energy planning. Regen is committed to supporting NESO and partners to ensure the final framework is pragmatic, evidence-based and delivery-focused.
Regen is continuing to work closely with local authorities, distribution networks and NESO around the development of regional planning, and will be hosting events and publishing insights in the coming months as more details emerge. If you’re interested in this topic, have questions or would like to collaborate, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Andrew Barry or Poppy Maltby.
