Energy Systems Catapult welcomes updates to the National Policy Statements that clarify clean power targets and transmission design, but call for stronger alignment with market signals and integrated spatial planning at national, regional, and local levels to accelerate efficient, place-based energy infrastructure delivery.

Energy Systems Catapult welcomes the opportunity to respond to this DESNZ consultation.

Key points:

• Embed spatial planning at all levels to support Net Zero delivery – A coordinated approach to spatial planning, such as integrating national initiatives (e.g. Strategic Spatial Energy Plan), regional strategies (e.g. Regional Energy Strategic Plans), and local planning (e.g. Local Area Energy Plans), is essential to accelerate infrastructure delivery, minimise social and environmental impacts, and enable place-based energy transitions.
• Harness market signals to guide infrastructure development – Market signals and strategic planning are complementary. Good data is needed for effective strategic planning. The SSEP should be guiding the location of large non-competitive assets (i.e. nuclear), while energy markets should be optimising everything else. Energy markets – including the potential for zonal pricing – should thus play a role in determining where generation and network infrastructure are built. Clearer policy alignment with locational signals can unlock more efficient investment, reduce system costs, and support a just and optimal energy transition.
• Align national policy with clean power targets and infrastructure needs – Updating National Policy Statements – particularly EN-1 and EN-3 – to reflect the Clean Power 2030 goal (e.g. 27 GW of onshore wind by 2030) provides important clarity, but further steps are needed. These include stronger guidance on repowering, updated build rate and asset lifespan assumptions, and robust support for offshore and floating wind with a focus on environmental, spatial, grid, and supply chain planning. A formal Electricity Transmission Design Principles (ETDP) document – endorsed by Ofgem and Ministers – should be embedded in EN-5 to drive consistency, innovation, and environmentally responsible transmission development.