As part of the 2025 DFES update, we conducted an analysis of the growth and impact of data centres in National Grid Electricity Distribution’s licence areas. This paper summarises the potential future uptake of data centres, the geographical factors driving AI growth in particular areas, and commentary on the wider network and societal impacts of data centre development in the UK.
Our latest paper considers recent biomethane supply projections and assesses the likely feasibility of this ‘green gas’ replacing fossil fuels for consumer use.
Ray Arrell reflects on the process pioneered by Regen back in 2015 – and how it has developed into a detailed, bottom-up approach to regional network planning.
With planning a critical enabler of net zero, our latest briefing explores the scale of the challenge and some of the practical solutions already being explored by local planning authorities.
With zonal pricing now ruled out, Johnny Gowdy considers the challenges and opportunities still facing the government to deliver investment and meaningful benefits for consumers before the next election.
Regen's director, Johnny Gowdy, takes a look at Locational Marginal Pricing (LMP) in the US, focusing on Texas, to better understand the potential implications of an LMP-based market design for GB net zero investment.
Johnny Gowdy
Regen has published a report with Heart of the South West LEP and co-funded by Devon County Council, North Devon Council and Torridge District Council revealing how the economic opportunities from developing floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea can be maximised.
Grace Millman
Becky Fowell
Regen has been commissioned by ENA to revise and refresh the Energy Networks Innovation Strategy to ensure that network innovation continues to be coordinated, focused on the key priorities for the energy system and delivers benefits to energy consumers.
Christine Chapter
Tamar Bourne
Regen associate Simon Gill discusses how Scotland can begin to deliver upon its ambitious decarbonisation targets and unlock a demand-side revolution by taking a whole system approach, delivered in a coordinated way, with the support of everyone in Scotland, and to all our benefit.
Simon Gill
Ray Arrell
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Joel Venn
In response to the shocking Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are expecting the Prime Minister to say more next week about the UK's energy strategy to free ourselves from Putin's "malign influence". Kwasi Kwarteng, among others, has debunked the idea we can drill our way to energy independence. Fantasies of fracking the UK countryside play into Putin's hands by distracting from real solutions. So here are seven things we think the Prime Minister should announce, building on the UK's ambitious Net Zero Strategy but with the much greater urgency the crisis has shown is required.
Energy price rises will impact millions of households in the UK, but what is the broader picture? George Middlemiss reflects on the unequal impacts of the latest price cap rise by Ofgem.
George Middlemiss
Regen has written to Ofgem setting out our concerns that the RIIO-ED2 process to date has left a significant risk that renewables and low-carbon technologies will not be able to connect to the network at the speed and scale required to achieve net zero.
Merlin Hyman OBE
Market-led systems alone are likely not to lead to empowered decision making in regards to home heating decarbonisation. Sophie Whinney explores the role of local governments and asks "how do we empower the public to get involved in heat decarbonisation?"
Sophie Whinney
Following a weekend of particularly low wind generation, Regen's director Johnny Gowdy uses three charts to make the case why the UK should harness the opportunity to expand offshore wind projects in the west of GB.
Ofgem has announced it will be inviting bids to build more high voltage interconnectors for its third investment round next year. The expansion of interconnectors, alongside other forms of flexibility, will play an important role in our future net zero energy system - providing additional energy security and system balancing, creating a more competitive electricity market, as well as increasing the utilisation of renewable energy.
Regen explores the need for more agile local energy planning and better communication between local authorities and energy networks.
Poppy Maltby
Regen has written a policy position paper in response to the BEIS call for evidence on green tariffs and steps to increase the carbon transparency of green energy products. The blog below provides a summary of the paper.
The energy National Policy Statements (NPS) are a vital set of policy documents that provide the decision-making process for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). The Energy NPS, therefore, guides large-scale energy developers across the UK on how to develop appropriate projects that should deliver the large-scale energy infrastructure needs of the future UK energy system.
Hazel Williams
Regen energy experts are collaborating with artist Karenza Sparks through the Regen Art Lab residency programme to explore the challenges and opportunities in decarbonising the UK's heat.
Working with SP Energy Networks, Regen has produced a report on the future role of Active Network Management (ANM) as a technology solution that could, when applied in network constraint areas, help to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technology.
Tim Crook
As part of Regen's regional scenarios analysis, Grace Millman, lead analyst on Regen's 2021 Distribution Future Energy Scenarios for Western Power Distribution, examines the ebbs and flows of tidal energy over the last few years, as well as the future of tidal energy in light of the latest government announcement.
Johnny Gowdy, Regen's director, responds to The Crown Estate's publication of its plans for floating wind leasing in the Celtic Sea.
Regen has produced a guide for local authorities to bring together the latest thinking on how local authorities can support new renewable development in their areas.
Regen assesses whether the offshore wind development pipeline is sufficient to meet the UK's 40 GW target and the implications of the Offshore Transmission Network Review. 'On paper', the pipeline is in place to deliver 40 GW by 2030, but an expansion of offshore wind in the west will be needed for 2035 net zero target.
Bruce Bardsley
Accompanying the UK Hydrogen Strategy in July was a plethora of consultations and calls for evidence. Regen has responded to the consultations on the design of a low-carbon hydrogen standard and a hydrogen business model.
Next week, in the run-up to COP26, we are expecting the government to publish the UK's Net Zero Strategy, including long-awaited plans to start to wean us off gas boilers to heat our homes.
The energy crisis of September 2021 has been a stark reminder of the vulnerability of the UK energy system because of its continued dependency on fossil fuels.
In response to very high gas prices, Madeleine Greenhalgh, policy lead for the Electricity Storage Network, states the importance of investing in energy storage.
The Heat and Buildings Strategy is one of the most important pieces of policy currently being relentlessly ruminated in the government machine. It's the most vital missing part of the net zero puzzle and we need to start implementing a clear plan for decarbonising heat as soon as possible.
Regen has produced a unique study with the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to identify the low carbon investments opportunities within Dorset, as well as to understand the economic benefits that could reach the local area from the shift to decarbonised energy for heat, transport and power.
Mark Howard, Regen's project manager and Sustainability Task Force lead, sets out our action plan for reducing Regen's business emissions to net zero by 2035.
Regen has been working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Ofgem and Innovate UK to illustrate how energy system digitalisation could improve the future consumer journey as part of the UK's first Energy Digitalisation Strategy, which was published last month.
As we await the delayed publication of the UK government's Hydrogen Strategy, and the even more delayed Heat and Buildings Strategy, Regen has been giving some thought to the question of whether hydrogen could become a widespread heating fuel, in the manner of natural gas.
Bruce Bardsley, energy analyst intern at Regen, takes a look at the data released from National Grid ESO which describes actions taken in the balancing mechanism.
Grace Millman reflects on Regen's work with Cornwall Council and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP to identify the potential opportunities for hydrogen to support decarbonisation in the region by 2030.
Next in our Race To Zero series: Mark Howard, Regen's project manager and Sustainability Task Force lead, provides an update on our efforts to measure and report our greenhouse gas emissions.
The government has published the long-awaited Transport Decarbonisation Plan setting out a programme of actions to reduce emissions across the transport sector in line with the net zero by 2050 target.
Olly Frankland
Poppy Maltby, head of cities and regions at Regen, unpacks Ofgem's minded-to decision on changes to accessing the electricity network.
Mark Howard, project manager at Regen, draws on his experience as an engineer installing and servicing low carbon heating technologies, to discuss why decarbonising heat is as much a people problem as it is an infrastructure problem, and proposes a package of solutions to build this approach into future policy.
Ray Arrell, Regen's Head of Technical Development and member of our internal Net Zero Task Force, summarises our work on looking to tackle our carbon emissions from office energy use.
Regen is working with Devon County Council to set up a Devon renewable electricity tariff that supports local, preferably community owned, generation.
Heat Creatures was a Regen Art Lab residency, launched in autumn 2021 to explore how creative practice could open up difficult, technical conversations—starting with the decarbonisation of home heating.
Chloe Uden
In this blog, Grace Millman considers the potential application of hydrogen to decarbonise the industrial sector, exploring the steel and cement industries in particular.
In an open letter to the energy minister signed by a group of our members, we set out six policies for the government to implement to decarbonise heat and buildings, secure future-proof green jobs and support small businesses.
The vision of the ReWiRE network is to make gender diversity a priority at all levels of the clean energy sector, making companies more resilient and able to innovate. The ReWiRE mentoring programme supports women in the clean energy industry to progress their careers.
Rachel Hayes
Joel Venn, head analyst at Regen, has undertaken analysis which visualises some of the changes in energy required to meet the UK's new climate target.
Mark Howard, Regen's lead on the internal Sustainability Task Force, outlines Regen's net zero commitment, our journey to making it, and how others can join the Race To Zero.
From July to December 2020 Regen worked with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) to produce energy efficiency demand reduction factors for both the North of Scotland and Central Southern England licence areas. This analysis used scenarios to look at the impact of domestic, commercial and industrial energy efficiency measures on electricity demand, down to primary substation level.
Jonty Haynes
Moving electricity from where it is generated to where it is used is fundamental to our energy system. After decades of incremental change, the UK's electricity infrastructure and systems now need to develop rapidly to support further decentralised generation as well as the increased electrification of transport and heat.
Inspired by the recent budget announcements and the current economic and public health crisis, I'd like to look at the costs to the public of inefficient housing, which the government continues to show wavering commitment to rectifying (Green Homes Grant, I'm looking at you), through the lens of healthcare. While there are many relevant and undervalued benefits to society from improving low energy efficiency homes, including but not limited to financial and carbon emissions savings, I believe there is a case for change on healthcare grounds alone.
Our latest paper with Kensa heat pumps shows how shared ground arrays could unlock a larger market for ground source heat pumps, whilst reducing peak winter electricity demand.
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