National Grid has launched what it is calling ‘the largest overhaul of the grid in generations’. It plans to invest £16 billion between 2021 and 2026 to support the UK’s net zero goals, and the upgrade takes up a major part of this investment, aiming to provide UK consumers with better access to renewable energy.
The details have not yet been revealed, but planned investment in ‘The Great Grid Upgrade’ will see significant new infrastructure built across England and Wales to move more clean energy from the point of generation to the major demand centres, ‘helping the UK meet its net zero ambitions and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels’.
In effect this means connecting more renewable energy from offshore generation directly to communities across the UK. The expectation is that the upgrade will also contribute to lower energy bills over the long-term, provide a catalyst for a green jobs boom, and make the UK’s energy system more self-sufficient.
Carl Trowell, president of Strategic Infrastructure, National Grid, said: “Our vision is a clean, fair and affordable energy future for the UK. The Great Grid Upgrade will play a major part in delivering this.”
