New Power

Gas networks claim data centre connection inquiries tripled in 2025

New Power — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:05:59 +0000

Around three times as many enquiries about gas connections to power data centre developers were submitted in 2025 than in 2024, according to figures published by Future Energy Networks (FEN), the representative body for the UK gas networks.
FEN said 113 enquiries were made over the two years, which it said were a result of the significant delays developers are encountering in securing access to the electricity grid, although a proportion of these enquiries are at a speculative stage only and in some cases, there will be multiple enquiries related to one connection request. It said gas networks are currently processing 46 applications from data centre developers. Seven applications have been secured for connection to the gas network equalling a combined capacity of 15.4TWh.
FEN said new demand connections to the gas network typically take six to 24 months and securing a gas connection is generally quicker than constructing a data centre.
James Earl, CEO of Future Energy Networks (FEN), said: “The dramatic increase in the number of data centre enquiries to gas networks reflects the long delays developers are encountering in accessing the electricity grid. If we are to get ahead in the global AI race, bolster economic growth and secure future investment, we must harness the immense potential of both gas and electricity systems.”

Schools to receive EV chargers under Workplace Charging Scheme

New Power — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:06:38 +0000

EV charging company Easee has partnered with installer EVX Charging Solutions to deploy more than 90 electric vehicle chargers across 13 schools in the Oxford Diocesan Bucks Schools Trust (ODBST).
At Chiltern Hills Academy, 16 Easee chargers have already been installed to support staff, visitors and the school’s incoming electric minibus.
The initiative has been made possible through the UK Government’s Workplace Charging Scheme for state-funded education institutions, which covers the cost of purchasing and installing EV charge points. Easee and EVX Charging Solutions are working jointly to help schools navigate the application process and unlock available funding.
Ella Swinhoe, Sustainability Lead at the ODBST, said: “This project supports our ambition to improve sustainability across our schools while also delivering practical benefits for staff and communities. At ODBST, sustainability is a clear priority, and the rollout of EV chargers is another positive step in helping people make greener, more sustainable choices.”
Through the Workplace Charging Scheme, state-funded schools can reduce the cost of upgrading their EV infrastructure.

Evolve Energy to source power from Race Bank for I&C customers

New Power — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:12:06 +0000

Supplier Evolve Energy, which facilitates access to renewable energy for industrial and commercial (I&C) businesses, has entered into a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Shell Energy Europe Limited for electricity generated by the Race Bank offshore wind farm, with which Shell Energy Europe has an offtake agreement.
The deal extends to 2035 and will total over 1TWh over its lifetime.
Evolve Energy said it was its largest offtake of offshore wind power generation to date and reflects growing demand from businesses for renewable electricity from reliable sources. Race Bank, one of the UK’s prominent offshore wind farms at 573MW installed capacity, is in the North Sea approximately 17 miles from the North Norfolk and Lincolnshire coast.
Evolve Energy will supply the offshore wind generated electricity to over 80 different I&C customers through a renewable basket model, which aggregates demand from multiple organisations.
James Hall, Chief Operating Officer at Evolve Energy, said: “This agreement marks an important step in the evolution of our customer empowerment strategy. Securing long-term access to offshore wind at this scale enables us to support UK businesses that now require renewable electricity solutions with genuine credibility and longevity. It strengthens our ability to connect large-scale renewable generation with customers that are serious about decarbonisation, resilience and long-term energy planning.”

Consent granted for 800MW solar farm

New Power — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:35:28 +0000

The government has granted development consent for a 800MW solar farm with battery storage co-located.
The Springwell Solar Farm in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, is set to be the largest solar farm in the UK. The proposals are on land predominantly owned by Blankney Estates. The developer said the Springwell site totals around 1,280Ha. Of this, approximately 48% would be used for above ground development like the solar panels, battery storage and Springwell Substation (. The remaining land will be used to provide recreational, landscaping and ecological areas, with a significant proportion able to be used for agricultural production during operation.
The decision letter said that the solar farm would use 541.2Ha of so-called ‘Best and Most Valuable’ agricultural land in Lincolnshire and calculated that this equated to 0.13% of the BMV land in the county. Cumulatively with other solar farm projects located in Lincolnshire or on or close to the Nottinghamshire border, 2.02% of BMV land in Lincolnshire would be affected, the decision letter said (including the proposed Leoda Solar Farm project), noting that the majority of the land would only be affected temporarily (ie over the 40 year lifetime of the project). In the case of Springwell 98Ha would be permanently lost.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “We are driving further and faster for clean homegrown power that we control to protect the British people and bring down bills for good. It is crucial we learn the lessons of the conflict in the Middle East – solar is one of the cheapest forms of power available and is how we get off the rollercoaster of international fossil fuel markets and secure our own energy independence.”

Great British Energy takes stake in electrolyser company ITM

New Power — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:52:34 +0000

Great British Energy has announced investment in ITM Power UK Ltd in South Yorkshire, which also announced an ‘in principle’ award of a £46.5 million government grant, to a expand hydrogen technology manufacturing in the UK. Great British Energy will become a shareholder in the company.
An announcement from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said the investment helps establish South Yorkshire as “the home of Europe’s largest electrolyser factories”. It will support a 1GW expansion of an ITM facility that manufactures electrolysers, which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The new investment will accelerate the delivery of ITM’s new electrolyser technology (dubbed Chronos), funding the build-out of large-scale domestic manufacturing of the platform. AJ Venter, partner at Burges Salmon, an advisor on the deal, said: “This is a strategically important transaction for ITM Power, supporting the next phase of growth for its UK manufacturing capability and the wider hydrogen economy”.
The investment came alongside a recent government confirmation at the Spending Review that it would commit £500 million to the hydrogen industry.
The government’s grant is in principle and subject to review and consideration of advice by the Subsidy Advice Unit.

NGED offers instant curtailment report to connecting parties

New Power — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:38:55 +0000

National Grid’s Distribution System Operator (DSO) has launched a new self-serve curtailment estimation tool, allowing customers to quickly find out for themselves the potential levels of curtailment if they connect to the network.
National Grid DSO offers flexible and curtailable connections, facilitated by its Actuve Network Management (ANM) system, to allow customers to connect to the network faster and at a lower cost. Previously, customers were required to submit connection applications without any knowledge of potential levels of curtailment and had to specifically request a curtailment report. The Curtailment Estimator draws on the latest data to offer user-friendly access to high level and technical curtailment insights.
The dataset includes the latest connections queue, network data and historic time-series load. Customers will be able to assess existing applications that have gone through Connections Reform, apply attrition to the connections queue and adjust export capacity to explore different scenarios. Following this, a bespoke curtailment report is produced in less than five minutes.
While the initial release covers existing sites with a Gate 2 Connections Reform outcome, a post-beta version is already in development. This will allow customers to carry out curtailment analysis for a new generation connection on any location on the primary network using a postcode.
Will Topping, DSO Curtailment Team Leader at National Grid DSO, said: “Our new tool is about changing the way curtailment insight is accessed and used. By making high quality, up to date analysis available on demand, we’re giving customers the tools they need to move faster with confidence. “It’s a clear example of how our DSO is modernising through cloud based platforms, better use of data and direct customer feedback to support quicker, more efficient connections.”
Philip Bale, Specialist Connections Engineer at Roadnight Taylor, who did early testing on the project, said: “This tool will provide developers with a quick, higher-level understanding of risk, without any charge. This will be very helpful in determining some of the key causes of constraint within certain networks and to help understand what may need to change to reduce the risk of constraints with ANM.”
Access the Curtailment Estimator here: curtailment.nationalgrid.co.uk

Housing development in Penarth to offer real-world net-zero for 500 homes

New Power — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:28:06 +0000

GTC is to supply energy and utility infrastructure for the 576-home Cosmeston Farm housing development in Penarth.
The scheme will exceed the Future Homes Standard and deploy GTC’s fully integrated smart home system at scale. Cosmeston Farm combines networked ground source heat pumps, smart controls and optimisation, grid flexibility services, home battery storage and GTC-owned electricity and water networks.
GTC will monitor whole-home energy use across Cosmeston Farm, capturing real-world performance data from the heat pumps, solar PV, batteries, smart controls and the local electricity network to demonstrate that the development is performing to the defined net zero carbon-in-operation target. Cardiff University will independently review real-world performance.
Oliver Novakovic, Technical & Innovation Director at developer Barratt Redrow, said: “Cosmeston represents a transformational step in how we design and build the next generation of zero-carbon communities. By working closely with GTC from the outset, we’ll be able to integrate advanced smart home technologies into the fabric of the development, ensuring our customers benefit from lower energy bills, greater comfort and long-term resilience.”
Networked ground source heat pumps from shared boreholes will provide heating and hot water. Each property will also have a Kensa Shoebox heat pump. This means the electricity network requires less grid capacity.
Home batteries and solar power will combine for greater self-consumption of renewable electricity, ability to utilise time-of-use tariffs and the ability to gain grid flexibility benefits to help reduce household bills.

Two Scottish investments planned to deliver offshore power pipeline

New Power — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:29:56 +0000

Vestas has announced plans to establish a factory in Scotland to meet growing demand for offshore wind in the UK and Europe. The €250 million factory would produce nacelles and hubs for Vestas’s, the V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbine.
Vestas said the announcement follows “record-breaking AR7 auction results in January 2026, a growing offshore wind order book for Vestas in the UK, and strategic discussions between the UK Government, the Scottish Government and Vestas on the next steps to develop and co-invest in the facility”.
The final investment decision is conditional on securing sufficient UK-based orders in AR7 and AR8. Subject to the timing of those results, and the planning process, the facility could start production by 2029/2030. The plan also includes identifying opportunities for co-locating sub-suppliers of other major components.
“The UK government has made a big statement with AR7, showcasing how wind energy creates a positive impact on energy security, sustainability, and affordability for end consumers. We welcome the UK and Scottish governments’ dedication to fostering a competitive offshore wind market and look forward to working together to progress our co-investment plans”, said Vestas chief executive Henrik Andersen.
Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said, “Vestas’s proposal to develop a hub and nacelle factory in Scotland, with the potential to support hundreds of jobs, speaks to the huge potential of the Scottish offshore wind sector and our attractiveness as an investment destination. Scottish Ministers have engaged closely with Vestas since 2021, and we look forward to continuing to work with the company and delivery partners to develop our offshore wind supply chain and deliver long-term economic benefits for our communities.”
The potential factory in Scotland, UK would become Vestas’ fifth factory in Europe dedicated solely to the manufacturing of offshore wind turbine nacelles and blades.

Separately, Maraen has announced plans to invest £30 million in Port of Nigg, to enhance port capacity and operational capability, supporting inbound and outbound logistics for offshore wind and wider energy sector projects.
of investment at one of the UK’s leading deepwater ports have been approved, as three industry-leading North-east Scotland energy businesses unite under a new brand – Maraen is an energy infrastructure solutions provider, bringing together the capabilities of Port of Nigg, Global Energy (Group) and Global Energy Services. The businesses will now be rebranded as Maraen Port of Nigg, Maraen Fabrication and Maraen Solutions, respectively.
The rebrand follows the acquisition of the businesses by Mitsui & Co. Europe Ltd. and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. in 2025. As part of this commitment, a final investment decision (FID) has been taken to develop a new heavy-duty quay and roll-on/roll-off capability at Maraen Port of Nigg.
RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Jane Cooper said the announcement “highlights the scale of the opportunity for the UK to expand our offshore wind supply chain, driving the regeneration of ports and establishing them as leading centres of clean energy excellence.”
She added, “This Green Freeport is already an offshore wind hub, and the new quay will improve Sumitomo Electric’s capability to provide high-voltage cables for offshore wind farms at scale from its factory on the same site. Upscaling the port will attract further private investment from other supply chain companies, with businesses operating side by side to provide components and services for the clean energy sector and create high-quality local jobs”.

Low Carbon Hub to add battery to community solar farm

New Power — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:18:56 +0000

Low Carbon Hub, a social enterprise that develops community-owned renewable energy projects in Oxfordshire, is inviting people to invest in the UK’s first community-owned solar energy battery at Ray Valley solar park in Arncott, near Bicester.

Ray Valley was set up by Low Carbon Hub in 2022. But on very sunny days, the park produces more electricity than the local grid can use, and also export prices are usually higher out of solar energy peak hours. Installing a battery means more of the clean energy will get used and the park will earn more money.
Now members of the public and organisations can buy community shares in the planned battery via investing platform Ethex.
Dr Barbara Hammond MBE, CEO, Low Carbon Hub says: “Solar energy used to be heavily dependent on the time the sun was out, but adding battery storage makes the clean power more reliable and consistent day and night.”

Three-month restart for Teesside bioethanol plant to assure CO2 supplies

New Power — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:32:52 +0000

The government has agreed a three-month restart of the Ensus bioethanol plant in Wilton, Teesside, to assure the UK’s critical supplies of carbon dioxide (CO2) required for Britain’s nuclear, packaged meats, fresh food and healthcare industries.
The plant ceased production in Autumn 2025 and was set to close permanently; however, the government said the company has agreed to keep it on standby to provide resilience for critical sectors.
Disruptions to European fertiliser production have significantly reduced the reliability of CO2 imports. Rising gas prices driven by the Iran conflict, plus unplanned maintenance at several European CO2 producing sites, mean that the UK’s market for CO2 risks being undersupplied.
The government said it has been in negotiations with Ensus since September to temporarily retain the plant and its operation, to give it the optionality to restart production when needed.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the Government is also taking steps to diversify the UK’s long term CO2 supply and secure resilience in the sector.