When I wrote “The Time and Place is Now”, our flagship report on Local Area Energy Planning (LAEP) in 2023, it was clear that unlocking Net Zero required something more than ambition. It needed coordination – across technologies, sectors, institutions, and scales.
That’s why the emergence of RESP (Regional Energy Strategic Planning) is so important. RESPs are being created to develop regional energy plans that span across electricity, gas, and hydrogen systems. These plans are designed to break down existing siloes and help deliver a single, integrated approach to energy infrastructure., channelling network investment where it is most needed by local areas.
That’s why I’m excited to announce that the Catapult has been awarded the contract to deliver a programme of work called Ready for RESP on behalf of the North West Net Zero Hub.
The programme is designed to support local authorities and regional partners to understand how the RESP process can benefit them and what they should do to make the most of this opportunity.
Currently our energy systems – electricity and gas – are planned separately. There is limited integration between energy planning and spatial planning – such as new housing, commercial and industrial centres. This fragmented approach limits our ability to target investment effectively and slows down progress toward a Net Zero future. RESP aims to change that. It is introducing a joined-up, whole-system planning framework that enables regional coordination, builds confidence in investment decisions, and ensures that local needs and ambitions are built into national infrastructure strategy.
Data from local authorities, such as local area energy plans (LAEPs), local development plans, transport plans and many others will be central to the success of RESP; giving local stakeholders the power and opportunity to influence where and when network upgrades will be delivered to ensure they can progress what they need.
Delivering this shift will require new capabilities, cross-sector collaboration, and clear, accessible tools for those on the ground.
Ready for RESP is a programme funded by the Government through the North West Net Zero Hub. It is designed to help local authorities and the Net Zero Hubs get to grips with RESP and understand what it will take to deliver effective, inclusive regional energy planning.
We’ll be:
This isn’t a consultation. It’s a co-creation process – designed to support and empower the people who will make this work.
Whether you’re shaping policy, running a local energy team, or engaging communities on the future of infrastructure, Ready for RESP is here to help.
You can:
If you want to get involved, please get in touch.
Where did the idea of RESP come from?
Ofgem as the energy regulator has a mission to “work to protect energy consumers, especially vulnerable people, by ensuring they are treated fairly and benefit from a cleaner, greener environment.”
In April 2022 it began a review into what it calls “Governance and institutional arrangements at a sub-national level”. As part of that review it considered three things energy system planning, market facilitation of flexible resources and real time operations.
In March 2023 it launched a consultation on its recommendations and one of the items it proposed was the creation of Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) to integrate local priorities into energy system planning.
What is a RESP?
The Regional Energy Strategic Plan (RESP) will enable the coordinated development of the energy system across multiple vectors, provide confidence in system requirements and enable network infrastructure investment ahead of need. Ultimately, this will support the energy system’s transition to Net Zero in a cost-effective manner.
By moving to a joined-up whole-system approach, the hope is it will ensure investment is targeted where it’s needed, and that progress towards Net Zero can be accelerated.
How many RESPs will there be?
There will be 11 of them across the whole country:
When are the RESPs coming in to place?
While the first full RESP will be published in late 2027, Ofgem requires transitional RESP outputs by January 2026 to inform upcoming network business planning (in ED3). The transitional RESPs will not be as detailed as the full RESPs but will serve the same purpose. This makes 2025 a crucial window for local areas to provide input to transitional RESPs.
What will be in a RESP?
How will RESPs be created with local areas?
Place-based engagement will be critical in producing the RESPs, with the convening of local actors around a shared view of the future system. There will be formal governance through:
The transitional RESPs will be supported by Regional Forums (in each RESP region), technical working groups (national level), and technical coordination via review of DNO business plans.
How will the RESPs improve energy planning?
Right now, local energy network planning is handled by Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs), and electricity Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), and other stakeholders such as local government develop energy projects which require connections to the networks. When done right, these networks can be a huge boost for local economies—creating jobs, enabling development, and even kickstarting new industries. But too often, planning happens in isolation, without a real grasp of what local communities actually need, and when.
What input will RESPs be looking for from local areas?
RESPs will use a range of local inputs, including energy decarbonisation plans and pathways like Local Area Energy Plans, Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies, and heat network or other project plans. Other inputs demonstrating a requirement on the energy system such as Local Plans, Local Growth Plans, Industrial Cluster plans and other infrastructure or economic plans will also be relevant.
How can I find out more?
Supporting local and regional stakeholders to deliver whole energy system, Net Zero-aligned planning and investment.
Find out moreFind out more about how Energy Systems Catapult can help you and your teams
Find out more about how Energy Systems Catapult can help you and your teams