Energy Systems Catapult stepped up efforts in 2019-2020 to tackle some of the most difficult decarbonisation challenges on the way to Net Zero. Accelerated some truly innovative companies with our programmes and capabilities, while driving key government taskforces with hundreds of stakeholders.

The year began with the UK leading the world in committing to deliver Net Zero by 2050 and closed with the urgent challenge of responding to the threat of COVID-19 overshadowed everything else.

While for others in the Catapult Network that meant a shift (at least short-term) in focus and resource – for Energy Systems Catapult it meant doubling down on Net Zero. No one yet has a clear picture of how to get there, or what needs to be done in what order, or in which technologies to invest in. Never before has there been such a strong need for a coherent whole systems response, taking in the human, political, market, digital and physical aspects of the energy transition.

Key points

Energy Systems Catapult is here to help innovative businesses tackle the most difficult challenges facing the energy sector, as the UK moves to a net zero economy and during 2019-20:

• Net Zero – we delivered a major programme, Innovating to Net Zero, that upgraded our national Energy System Modelling Environment (ESME) to deliver new pathways to achieving a Net Zero economy by 2050. Other Net Zero projects featured include: Storage and Flexibility Model and EV Energy Taskforce.
• Heat – the economic opportunity for this transition, both at home and abroad, is huge but requires innovation support, policy and regulatory certainty, and market changes. Projects featured include:  Senergy, Mixergy and Six Steps to Zero Carbon Buildings.
• Digital – the Energy Systems Catapult-led Energy Data Taskforce (EDTF), has had a “game-changing” impact on the digital and data transformation challenge faced by the energy sector. Data Best Practice Guidance and a Digital Energy Fitness Assessment were developed. Projects featured include: Equiwatt, Ofgem – Energy Data Best Practice and q energy.
• Place – the urgency of Net Zero requires place-based strategies to drive low carbon deployment of at scale. Integrated planning is key: adopting a whole system approach which enables multi-vector and sector integration and optimisation, system flexibility and supports the creation of local dynamic energy markets. Projects featured include: Net Zero Leiston and Milford Haven: Energy Kingdom.