On the 11 December, NESO published its Future Energy Scenarios 2025 (FES 2025) Economic Annex, exploring the economics of Net Zero pathways including estimates of costs for infrastructure and consumer purchases. Energy Systems Catapult responds.
Alex Buckman, Innovative Solutions Architect at Energy Systems Catapult, said:
“NESO’s Future Energy Scenarios play a critical part in our energy system transition; supporting policy and providing foundational thinking upon which progress can then be made. NESO provide substantial data to the sector through FES and this Economics Annex to FES 2025 is another commendable example of transparency.
“Energy Systems Catapult welcomes this publication which does well to articulate the complexities of projecting and interpreting energy system costs. What comes through loud and clear is that delivering Net Zero has the potential to rebalance not just the cost of our energy system, but where those costs are spent, with huge opportunities to shift from operational spend to investment in infrastructure and the UK innovators that will help our economy grow. Those innovators will not only drive sustainable growth, but can reduce system costs as indicated in this report.
“This Annex also emphasises that minimising costs needs coordination. Fragmentation will both slow us down and drive-up costs in any future system. Whole-system approaches to building out infrastructure and unlocking innovation can help. Energy Systems Catapult is committed to supporting NESO in enabling innovators to flourish within integrated future energy systems.”
The Catapult’s team of over 250 experts have worked with innovators (large and small) to scale innovation while pioneering whole-system approaches that can help support NESO’s recommendations for minimising system cost. These include: