May 2019
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This conference focused on priorities for energy security in the UK ahead of the planned Government energy white paper.
Delegates discussed the future of the Capacity Market (CM) in light of the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling suspending the CM for violating state aid regulations, and took place as the European Commission began an in-depth investigation into the Capacity Market, as well as their appeal to overturn the CoJ ruling.
With the subsequent consultation on Technical Amendments to the CM - which include plans for a top-up auction during the summer of 2019 - attendees examined how best to provide certainty to those involved in the CM, with some energy companies issuing profit warnings linked to the suspension.
Against the backdrop of the wider review into the CM - aimed at ensuring that it remains fit for the future - the seminar also assessed what role the CM should have in future, and what more is needed from policy to support cost-effective energy security and the development of energy markets across the UK.
The agenda looked at next steps for regulation, and cooperation between regulators and electricity network operators, in making sure the UK meets its energy requirements as demand patterns change and distributed generation becomes more common.
Delegates shared latest thinking on the potential of smart technology in driving consumer behaviour with the recently published smart meters policy paper highlighting the potential for generating £40bn of wider economic benefits from additional energy sector services like demand side response, market intelligence data and energy storage technology.
The conference also took place with the recent publication of the UK’s National Energy and Climate Plan - which recommits to the Clean Growth Strategy goal to enhance energy security by delivering a more diverse and reliable energy mix. Sessions looked at how the low carbon sector and renewable generation will need to develop to help meet the Plan’s energy and climate objectives, including investment in energy infrastructure resilience - as well as further options for promoting new generation capacity in the UK.
Delegates discussed the place of oil and gas and the continued development of the North Sea for energy security in the UK.
The impact of government investment for facilitating innovation and routes to commercialisation in areas such as battery were considered, following the launch of the £20m Storage at Scale Competition intended to demonstrate viability for non-conventional storage technologies and economic potential.
Attendees considered what more needs to be done to encourage inward investment in the context of the launch of the UK’s £5bn Energy Investment Portfolio which will be promoted to global investors and options for market-based incentive schemes, such as the proposed Smart Export Guarantee Scheme were also assessed.
