Green energy firms facing decade of delays for grid connection 'UK's biggest Net Zero hurdle', says Harmony Energy CEO

Speaking on challenges to achieving Net Zero, Mr Kavanagh said: “In the UK, I think the biggest challenge is the grid capacity.

“Harmony is in a good position because we started early, but if you’re new to the sector and trying to apply to connect into the grid now, you’re probably looking at a ten year wait in a lot of areas.

Solar Energy UK, a trade association for solar power, noted that it had seen delays as late as 2037.

Yorkshire-based Harmony Energy operates Europe’s biggest battery energy storage site, as well as operating multiple solar and wind farms across the country.

In the last four years, the number of projects applying to connect to the UK power system has quadrupled, with the number expected to rise even further this year.

A spokesperson for National Grid, the company which owns and maintains the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, said: “We’re committed to connecting projects to the grid as fast as possible.

“A majority of projects in the pipeline have connection dates within 12 months of their requested date, and we’re working with the electricity system operator, Ofgem and wider industry to introduce new ways to speed up the process for others.”

Mr Kavanagh also noted that in many places, grid connections have been taken by firms or groups not using them, further “blocking” capacity.

National Grid and National Grid Electricity System Operator, a legally separate part of National Grid which balances supply and demand on the system, are working to give developers an option to leave the grid if projects are not progressing or are no longer viable.

Discussing the causes of grid delays, Solar Energy UK CEO Chris Hewett said: “Broadly speaking, it’s the network having to adapt.

“Obviously, it was built with a set of technologies in mind, with coal fired power stations, gas fired power stations and nuclear power stations.

“It’s still basically designed on those principles, but the technology has now changed. All the new power that comes on to the network is either wind or solar with some energy storage.

“So, at heart the issue is adapting the network to cope with the new technologies – which is obviously absolutely essential to Net Zero.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “We have connected the second highest amount of renewable electricity in Europe since 2010 but we recognise the challenge of connection delays and we want to go further and faster. That is why we’re working to cut the time it takes to connect projects to the grid as part of our plans to power up Britain with cleaner, cheaper and more secure homegrown energy.”

The department plans to publish a Connections Action Plan later this year to reform the connection process and reduce connection timescales.