TO BE PUBLISHED May 2027
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This conference will consider next steps for clean energy investment and delivery in Great Britain, including priorities for mobilising public and private capital, addressing barriers to project development and the role of Great British Energy. Areas for discussion include investment models and commercial viability, infrastructure and grid constraints, UK manufacturing and supply chains, local and community energy, and the implications for jobs, skills and regional economies.
Clean power investment & deployment - public & private capital
It will bring together policymakers and stakeholders to examine priorities for investment and project delivery in the context of Clean Power 2030 ambitions, GBE's Strategic Plan and the wider programme of public investment in clean energy. Delegates will consider the role of public intervention in addressing market barriers, reducing development risks and supporting emerging technologies - as well as the conditions needed to attract private capital and bring projects through to construction and operation. GBE's developing role as an investor, developer and owner of clean energy assets is expected to be a focus of discussion alongside that of the National Wealth Fund and other public and private investment partners.
The conference will examine how effectively public support, commercial investment and local delivery are being coordinated, and assess the effectiveness of these arrangements in delivering additional clean energy capacity, commercially viable projects and wider benefits for UK supply chains, workers and communities.
Investment models, supply chain programmes & delivery partners
The agenda will assess approaches to public and private co-investment, risk allocation, additionality and the commercial sustainability of clean energy projects, including GBE's developing investment model and income-generating portfolio. Discussion will consider the early impact of the Energy, Engineered in the UK programme and its Supply Chain Fund, priorities for strengthening domestic manufacturing and the role of government, the National Wealth Fund, industry and other partners in supporting investment and delivery.
Local power, community ownership & business opportunities
Attendees will look at early implementation of funding and support under the Local Power Plan, including the GBE Community Fund and GBE Partnerships Grant, alongside wider approaches to financing and developing local energy projects. Sessions will consider requirements for scaling commercially sustainable local energy projects, approaches to community ownership - including developing government proposals on shared ownership of renewable projects - and sharing the benefits of clean energy across regions. Opportunities for UK businesses in offshore wind, including floating and other deepwater technologies, electricity networks, hydrogen and emerging clean energy technologies will also be considered.
Grid investment, infrastructure constraints, skills & regional delivery
Further sessions will examine the practical constraints affecting deployment, including grid capacity and connections, network investment, system flexibility and the coordination of generation, storage and demand. Delegates will consider priorities for accelerating electricity network development, the implications of connections reform for project viability and the role of Great British Grid in supporting infrastructure investment and delivery.
Discussion is expected on workforce and skills requirements, the North Sea Future Plan and the role of GBE's Aberdeen Energy Taskforce in supporting regional economic development. Delegates will also assess the effectiveness of public investment arrangements, including questions of commercial discipline, accountability and operational independence, and how progress should be measured against objectives for energy security, public ownership, jobs and industrial capacity, community benefit and long-term value for taxpayers.
Overview of areas for discussion
- clean energy investment, additionality & commercial discipline:
- investment priorities and emerging project pipelines across offshore, onshore and local energy - public investment and criteria for intervention
- co-investment, risk allocation and crowding in private finance - routes from development-stage support to FID and construction - investment certainty and project bankability
- risk-weighted returns and portfolio performance - commercial sustainability - GBE's investment model and role alongside other public finance institutions
- local & community energy, shared ownership & routes to market:
- GBE Community Fund and GBE Partnerships Grant rollout - wider GBE Local grants, loans and development support - pipeline of investable local and community energy projects
- scalable and self-sustaining business models - standardised delivery models, access to expertise and finance, and routes to market
- shared ownership and community benefit - government proposals and GBE templates for developer-community partnerships - long-term local participation and value from clean energy assets
- public sector generation - solar on schools, NHS sites and other public buildings - lessons for scaling and cutting public sector bills
- UK manufacturing, supply chains & responsible sourcing:
- Energy, Engineered in the UK - Supply Chain Fund for offshore wind and networks - targeting supply chain bottlenecks and areas of UK competitive advantage - leveraging private investment
- floating and other deepwater wind, hydrogen, storage and emerging technologies - domestic manufacturing - demand visibility and routes for SMEs
- resilience, traceability and due diligence - modern slavery and human-rights risks - ethical standards, deployment pace and affordability
- networks, connections & project bankability:
- impact of grid capacity and connection times on clean energy investment and project delivery - alignment with connections reform and strategic system planning
- coordination with NESO, Ofgem and network companies - sequencing generation, transmission and distribution investment - Great British Grid and opportunities for public-private investment
- flexibility and storage - infrastructure constraints affecting project viability, investor confidence and delivery to 2030
- workforce transition, skills & regional value:
- workforce requirements across development, manufacturing, construction and operations - skills shortages and routes for retraining
- North Sea transition - transferability of oil and gas capability - retaining skilled workers and supply chain expertise
- GBE Aberdeen Energy Taskforce - converting clean energy investment into local jobs, manufacturing opportunities and regional economic benefit
- investment partnerships, governance & measuring impact:
- roles of GBE, DESNZ, the National Wealth Fund, devolved governments and other public investment bodies - relationships with private developers and investors - coordination and avoiding duplication
- measuring additionality and impact - clean energy capacity, private finance mobilised, jobs, community ownership and supply chain outcomes
- operational independence and accountability - DESNZ framework document and leadership beyond the start-up phase - transparency, decision-making, and progress against public investment and clean energy delivery objectives
