Comment by Jon Saltmarsh, Chief Technology Officer at Energy Systems Catapult. 

24 years, 5 months, and 29 days.

8,948 days.

That’s how long we have until 1 January 2050 – the year of Net Zero. Viewed like that it’s clear that we really don’t have long to innovate and deploy the low-carbon technologies needed to decarbonise our energy sector. So, what do we need to do to maximise the value of the next 24 years?

That’s exactly what this blog series intends to explore as we countdown to ‘Innovating to Net Zero 2026’, our flagship Net Zero event. Over the coming months, you’ll get the inside track on whole energy system decarbonisation – including evidence, debate, and real-world insights that will set the agenda for our event in February 2026 and beyond. If you want to know how the UK powers its future while driving carbon to zero, you’re in the right place.

Proven expertise

Our flagship series stands on the shoulders of almost two decades of combined research from the Energy Technologies Institute and Energy Systems Catapult. Our first event and report in 2020 (just before the pandemic upended daily life) addressed the implications of a 100% reduction in carbon emissions rather than the 80% reduction the UK had been working towards. The inaugural ITNZ involved two scenarios, one leaned on a strong central strategy, the other on a patchwork of local initiatives. Both taught us where big ambition collides with real-world constraints.

Lessons from a divided world

Fast-forward to ITNZ 2024 and the global backdrop had shifted once again. Covid and the energy price surge after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine catapulted energy security to the front row. In response, we included an additional two scenarios, one reflecting a world of rising protectionism and one buoyed by the pace of innovation.

This work involved over 3,600 model runs to identify the impact and importance of the decisions we make to get to Net Zero. The verdict was stark – from the challenges surrounding peak heat to meeting ever-closer timescales. We’ve seen since that system slack is vanishing, cost curves remain daunting and true stress events, severe cold snaps, supply shocks, grid faults, could still tip us off course if we’re unprepared.

Zooming in on the “hard stuff”

For ITNZ 2026 we’re moving beyond national-scale pathway charts and into the nuts and bolts, the really hard stuff that we identified in ITNZ 2024. How much could demand flexibility shave off costs? Which long-duration storage options will deliver resilience without breaking the bank? Our flexibility modelling tools will track domestic and non-domestic consumer demand, showing how shifting demand and different types of storage can flatten peaks and tame shocks. At the same time, our system-of-systems map will pinpoint exactly where across the whole energy system, innovation yields the greatest payoff.

What’s next?

The formal launch of ITNZ 2026 is set for 25 February 2026, but the story begins today. In the coming months we’ll publish a series of blogs that dive into the questions keeping energy experts awake, spotlight the pioneers rewriting the rules, and challenge the assumptions that have guided us so far. Whether you’re a policymaker, investor, engineer or simply fascinated by our energy future, join us as we work out what needs to happen to build a smarter, cleaner and more secure system.