The UK Electricity System Operator (ESO) has published a report proposing a £58bn investment in the electricity grid to meet growing demand for electricity in Great Britain by 2035.
According to Beyond 2030, investment will allow Britain to exploit the economic potential as a leader in offshore wind by moving the power to where it is needed.
The plan aims to connect a further 21GW of offshore wind in development off the coast of Scotland to the grid in an “efficient and coordinated way”, supporting a GB-wide total of 86GW, according to the report.
The ESO’s report stresses the need for “swift and coordinated action” across the energy sector, government, the regulator, and communities to deliver the network infrastructure in time to meet 2035.
It also recommends an expansion of the offshore grid and a new North-to-South electrical spine.
This would see offshore wind farms in development off the coast of Scotland have their energy transported via a new transmission route, potentially spanning from Peterhead to Merseyside, supplying homes and businesses across Scotland and Northern England with homegrown electricity.
However, ESO said that this is an early-stage option which will require further consideration and consultation.
It is also recommending further offshore bootstraps along the east coast of Britain.
The system operator said the investment programme will enable a fully decarbonised electricity system in GB by 2035, in line with the Sixth Carbon Budget, while creating over 20,000 jobs annually, with 90% of the benefits occurring outside London and the south-east, according to independent research.
By 2035, Great Britain will have one of the most expansive and coordinated offshore grids in the world, with three times more undersea cabling than onshore, according to the report.
Further design optimisation, innovation and community engagement will be undertaken to ensure that the needs of different communities and wider economic and system security needs are balanced, it added.
Fintan Slye, executive director of ESO, said: “Great Britain’s electricity system is the backbone of our economy and must be fit for our future.
“ESO’s Beyond 2030 network design outlines recommendations on the investment needed and how and where to coordinate the build of this new critical national infrastructure.
“To deliver the clean, secure, decarbonised system set out by government and devolved governments we must take swift, coordinated and lasting action working collaboratively across all parts of the energy sector, government, the regulator and within our communities.”
A National Grid spokesperson added: “The huge growth in offshore wind, interconnectors, and nuclear power, will all generate more electricity than the networks are currently able to transport.
“The Electricity System Operator’s Beyond 2030 report recognises the need for networks to be delivered at pace and is an important step in unlocking a more affordable and resilient decarbonised electricity system in the UK.
“National Grid is already investing billions delivering the largest overhaul of grid in generations, The Great Grid Upgrade, to enable us to transport more homegrown clean energy to power homes and businesses across the UK as well as, in the longer term, reduce energy bills.
“We now look forward to working with the System Operator, government and Ofgem on the further development needed to progress these reinforcements, and to move towards creating a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, coupled with a consentable Centralised Strategic Network Plan, which sets out what energy infrastructure needs to be built, where and when, to deliver a capacity-rich, future-ready network that will serve society and underpin economic growth.”
Industry has welcomed the move to reinforce and expand the electricity network, which RenewableUK director of future electricity systems Barnaby Wharton said is “long overdue”.
“It’s essential that we don’t delay any longer and get on with the job, to ensure that we can get the vast quantities of clean power which we’re generating from offshore wind to British homes and businesses as efficiently as possible,” he added.
“The measures set out in this ambitious plan put offshore wind at the heart of our future energy system, enabling us to decarbonise our electricity network by 2035 and securing our position as a global leader in this key technology.
“This report shows that building vital new grid will create 20,000 new jobs and boost our economy by £15bn a year in parts of the country which need regeneration.”
Energy UK chief executive Emma Pinchbeck added: “The proposals set out by the ESO capture the necessary level of ambition to get the UK on track for economic growth, job creation, and a more cost-efficient energy system which best uses new technologies and demand from today’s customers.
“Everyone in energy is working at an accelerated pace to ensure the lowest cost electricity generation is connected to new and existing types of demand across the country, and that this is done in the fairest way possible to all customers.
“It is critical that the plan considers local needs, and that industry and government minimise the amount and impact of energy infrastructure, but we also know that the future energy system will vastly improve the way we power our homes and businesses in this country.”