This article by Phillip Robinson, Principal Grid Engineer at ITPEnergised, part of SLR featured in PBC Today in August 2024.
The importance of accelerating grid connections for planned renewable generators, such as solar and wind farms, has never been greater. However, the current system for grid connection approvals is delaying many projects, often unnecessarily. New regulations, known as TMO4+, due to come into force in January 2025 aim to accelerate the UK’s net zero transition by 10 years. Phillip Robinson of ITPEnergised takes a look.
As the UK stands on the cusp of a renewable energy revolution, our grid connection process remains mired in inefficiencies that threaten to derail our net zero aspirations.
Having spent years on both sides of the fence – first with National Grid distribution and now as a consultant at ITPEnergised – I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges plaguing our current system.
However, with the introduction of TMO4+ (a grid connection management approach) into the planning process, expected in January 2025, we have a golden opportunity to rectify these issues and accelerate our nation’s green transition.
The current gridlock
The root of the issue lies in our historical approach to grid connection offers.
For years, transmission operators issued these offers without requiring proof of land rights or project viability.
This led to a proliferation of what I like to call “braggerwatts” – speculative projects that are likely to only ever exist on paper, inflating company valuations or being traded for profit, with no real intention of ever materialising.
The consequences of this speculative behaviour are severe. Genuine renewable projects, ready to break ground, find themselves at the back of an interminable queue.
Worse still, this backlog has triggered plans for billions of pounds worth of potentially unnecessary grid reinforcements.
The introduction of TMO4+ is a comprehensive reform of our grid connection process that promises to separate the wheat from the chaff.
At its core, TMO4+ prioritises projects that are ready to build and have secured necessary land rights and planning permissions.
Key features of TMO4+ are expected to include:
- Mandatory proof of land rights.
- Demonstration of planning progress.
- A ‘Gate’ mechanism for viable projects to leapfrog speculative ones.
- Regular progress checks to maintain queue position.
These measures will ensure that our grid connection queue reflects real projects, not paper-based ones that will never come to fruition.
The road to implementation
As we approach the TMO4+ January 2025 implementation date, the working group’s consultation phase is nearing completion.
It is clear that we need to strike a viable compromise between protecting genuine developers, who are at the heart of this transition, and ensuring that stagnating sites no longer impede the UK’s progress towards net zero.
This balance is crucial for the success of TMO4+ and, by extension, our nation’s green energy future.
The implications of TMO4+ extend far beyond the energy sector. By streamlining the connection of new renewable sources, we’re not just changing a process – we’re catalysing the UK’s entire energy transition.
We’re looking at faster deployment of clean energy, billions saved in unnecessary infrastructure costs, increased investor confidence in UK renewables and, crucially, a significant acceleration towards our net zero goals.
While the full scope and extent of the policy remain to be seen, it’s clear that this reform will necessitate a significant shift in how NGESO approaches grid connection and capacity planning.
By weeding out speculative projects, NGESO will be able to focus its resources on genuine, viable projects, potentially leading to more accurate forecasting and efficient grid reinforcement plans.
Preparing for the new reality
In my years in this industry, I’ve never seen a more critical juncture. TMO4+ is not just a regulatory change – it is a paradigm shift that could define the future of UK energy.
It is a chance to correct course and to ensure that our grid connection process aligns with our national ambitions for a cleaner, greener future.
As I often tell my colleagues, this reform is long overdue. But with TMO4+ on the horizon, we have a second chance.
It is up to us – developers, consultants, policymakers and citizens – to seize this opportunity and drive the UK towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.
The road ahead won’t be without challenges. But for the first time in years, I am optimistic that we have the tools to overcome them.
TMO4+ isn’t just a reform – it is a renewal of our commitment to a greener UK. We need to embrace it, hold our policymakers accountable to their promises and build the future we want to see.
