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Britain ranks second to last for power system flexibility in review of nine leading European countries-REA Report


Britain ranks second to last for power system flexibility in review of nine leading European countries-REA Report

 Britain ranks eighth out of nine northern European countries in attracting and facilitating investment in electricity system flexibility , a new industry report finds

 Delivering flexibility is crucial to power sector decarbonisation and achieving Net Zero targets

Regulatory uncertainty, lack of visibility on returns, and technical challenges connecting to the network are delaying investment in flexibility and could hamper renewables deployment in the 2020s

Regulatory uncertainty, lack of visibility on returns, and technical challenges are impeding investment in flexibility services to support Britain’s electricity network as more renewables come online, risking delays in the transition to a greener future, an industry report said.

The Energy Transit ions Readiness Index, a report published by the Association for Renewable Energy & Clean Technology (REA) and commissioned by Eaton and Drax, reviewed regulation and market access, social and political support for the energy transition, and deployment of enabling technologies such as smart meters in nine northern European countries.

Britain, which ranked eighth out of the nine countries in the index, scored poorly on market factors such as a clear and stable regulatory and market framework.

The report also highlighted potential difficulties accessing the distribution network and a lack of progress on delivering smart electric vehicle charging. Flexibility is becoming increasingly important as more variable renewables such as wind and solar replace Britain’s large fossil-fuelled power stations to meet targets to cut carbon emissions. Large generators typically provided flexibility by supplying power during peak demand and ensuring that the system’s voltage and frequency remained within operational limits. The Netherlands topped the league table of nine countries. Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland and Norway also scored high, while Germany, Britain and France lagged.

Dr Nina Skorupska, Chief Executive of the REA said: “Decarbonising power means delivering flexibility. In a world of very low-cost variable renewable electricity generation, grids need to be organised differently and some services which were once taken for granted need to be actively procured.  “Crucially, as renewable power prices fall around the world every country will be experiencing the same shift. If Britain becomes a flexibility pioneer, then a whole world of markets for exporting our products and services opens up.

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