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 responds to Ofgem's announcement of an increase to the energy price cap.
Fraser Stewart
Regen has written to Ofgem's CEO raising concerns that the RIIO-ED2 price control risks preventing low-carbon technologies from connecting to the network at the speed and scale required to achieve net zero and provide a route away from our reliance on gas.
Merlin Hyman OBE
In this brand new insight paper, Regen identifies seven potential solutions to reduce the cost of balancing and managing constraints now.
Johnny Gowdy
Regen has written to the UK's new Electricity Networks Commissioner to draw attention to the urgency of addressing the constraints on the network if the UK is to achieve net zero and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Regen has worked alongside the University of Exeter's Centre for Future Clean Mobility to produce a report outlining the technology innovation and economic growth opportunities that clean maritime propulsion systems can offer the UK and how the South West of England can capitalise on these opportunities and spearhead the growth of the sector.
Becky Fowell
Grace Millman
The UK government is investing £160 million in port and manufacturing developments to bring us closer to deployment of 5 GW of floating offshore wind (FLOW) by 2030 and to unlock its role in the UK's wider net zero objectives. Regen has responded to the request for information to better understand how the Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS) can be designed to effectively use this funding.
Regen's CEO, Merlin Hyman, dissects current discussions on power market reform and the potential impacts for progress towards net zero.
Regen's Sophie Whinney explores the current gender gap within the heating sector and why diversity is essential in reaching all sections of society, on this divergence from business as usual.
Sophie Whinney
When Emma Pavans de Ceccatty joined Regen, she brought with her an uncommon mix of disciplines — philosophy, environmental ethics, and art — and an instinct that the space between art and energy held untapped potential.
Chloe Uden
With the UK aiming to build and operate 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030, questions about who benefits from offshore developments, and how, have never been more pertinent. In this insight piece, we outline four key questions that need to be addressed to unlock benefit for local areas and communities, to support a truly just transition as we undertake the offshore revolution.
Low auction prices confirm that renewables are cheapest but we could have had a lot more. Now is the time to extend the use of Contracts for Difference to create a new deal between low carbon generators and the UK consumer.
This paper provides a framework for how national and local government can best work together to take the most cost-effective, place-based approach to addressing the decarbonisation of heat.
Poppy Maltby
Regen welcomes the announcement of The Crown Estate's leasing strategy for the Celtic Sea, including the identification of five Areas of Search and an approach to phased development. This marks the start of the Celtic Sea leasing process and the unlocking of GWs of floating offshore wind on the West coast of the UK.
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.
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.
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.
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?"
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.
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.
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