Comment by Alex Buckman, Innovative Solutions Architect – Flexibility, at Energy Systems Catapult.

It has been almost a year since we published Innovating to Net Zero 2024 (ITNZ 24), the second iteration of our modelling analysis that explored the technologies, policies and system designs required to deliver a cost-effective Net Zero energy system for the UK. The headline was clear: meeting the UK’s 2050 target is still achievable, but only through a combination of immediate action, strategic innovation and systemic coordination. The last 12 months have shown both how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.

Implement faster

Since ITNZ 24, there has been welcome progress in turning Net Zero strategies into tangible outcomes. The introduction of the Clean Power by 2030 Mission and the creation of Mission Control signalled a more intentional governmental focus on delivery. Likewise, steps have been taken to speed up planning and consenting for critical infrastructure, including offshore wind. This shift reflects long-standing recommendations to remove non-technical barriers to deployment.

The policy landscape has evolved, most notably with the announcement and subsequent launch of Great British Energy (GB Energy) – a new publicly owned energy company designed to accelerate investment in low carbon generation. The ambition here is to bring more coordination and capital to the development of renewable and nuclear projects, and to better align energy investment with broader national interests. The launch of GB Energy is a potential turning point, offering an opportunity to shape the energy system not just around least-cost planning, but around value creation, resilience and sovereignty.

Heat, storage and the importance of scale

While deployment is not yet on track, there are signs of acceleration in key areas. Heat pump installations increased by around 50% in 2024 compared to the year before, reaching approximately 4,000 units a month. This is not yet the scale required to meet Carbon Budgets, but it demonstrates momentum. The Clean Heat Market Mechanism, which came into force this April, may help to further boost uptake.

We’ve also seen tangible movement on salt cavern storage, with projects progressing in Dorset and Cheshire. As we outlined in the report, storage – electrical, thermal and molecular – will be vital in meeting peak demand at times of low renewables. These early-stage investments are a necessary precursor to the type of long-duration storage capacity a future energy system will depend on.

Innovation is non-negotiable

ITNZ 24 made clear that while the UK needs to deploy mature technologies at pace, success depends on accelerating less mature technologies into scalable, investable propositions. Encouragingly, several major innovation efforts have taken shape over the past year in the areas we identified. The government’s £22 billion support package for carbon capture and storage (CCS) was a landmark announcement, complemented by industry-led projects such as the Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder.

In the aviation sector, the H2FlyGHT project – a £44 million initiative supported by the Aerospace Technology Institute – is advancing liquid hydrogen propulsion for aircraft, a technology with potentially transformative implications for short- and medium-haul flight. In the nuclear space, Great British Nuclear has moved into the final stage of its SMR (Small Modular Reactor) selection process, with decisions expected shortly. These developments represent not just technical milestones, but the emergence of entire markets that did not meaningfully exist a decade ago.

Our own work has supported innovation across a broad range of areas, including:

• Modelling the implications of nuclear cogeneration for National Grid Electricity Transmission
• Exploring low carbon hydrogen production and infrastructure through the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative
• Supporting decarbonisation of maritime operations at the Port of Aberdeen
• Investigating battery electric HGVs through the eFREIGHT project
• Analysing the role of liquid hydrogen in aviation in the context of whole system design

These projects help to build the evidence base, highlight trade-offs, and identify the conditions under which novel technologies can succeed.

Integration is key to designing systems that match our ambition

Innovation is not only about new technologies; it’s about redesigning the system around them. Over the past year, the UK has made several steps towards more integrated energy planning. The establishment of the National Energy System Operator (NESO) marks a structural shift towards cross-vector, cross-scale coordination. Meanwhile, Strategic Spatial Energy Planning, Regional Energy Strategic Planning, and Local Area Energy Planning are bringing national and local priorities into greater alignment.

Progress on digital infrastructure has also been encouraging. Innovation projects like Automatic Asset Registration and Flexibility Markets Unlocked are showcasing how digital technologies can enhance access to distributed flex. Elexon has been appointed to implement the Flex Market Asset Register by 2027, and NESO has been appointed Interim Coordinator for a Data Sharing Infrastructure (DSI). To meet Clean Power 2030 requirements, implementation of shared digital infrastructure will need to happen at pace, with effective coordination across delivery bodies to ensure system operators and market participants have access to good quality data, enabled through digital tools.

Our modelling and policy work has continued to stress-test Net Zero system resilience, from peak stress events in our Energy-Water Nexus project to market design questions explored through projects like Enabling Distributed Flexibility for Net Zero. We’ve also supported the development of alternative energy markets, working with stakeholders to ensure that innovation is inclusive, outcome-based, and system-aware.

An uncompromising decade of delivery

As we look ahead, the next 12 months – and indeed the next decade – must be characterised by an uncompromising focus on delivery. That means continuing to scale mature technologies like offshore wind, solar and heat pumps, while further accelerating innovation in CCS, hydrogen, SMRs, flexible networks and negative emissions.

It also means addressing the skills gap, anchoring high value parts of supply chains in the UK, and designing market frameworks that reward outcomes, not inputs. Above all, we need to keep consumers in focus – because the transition must be one that works for households, communities and businesses across the country.

The good news is that we already know what needs to be done. The challenge now is to deliver it – at scale, with urgency, and with innovation at every step.