Mark Coyle

For over two decades, the UK has been a key market for us — and we are dedicated to the country, with ambitious plans for deepening our engagement and making transformative investments.    With the announcement of a new Industrial Strategy focused on clean energy as a key growth sector, the new government wants to play a constructive, strategic role in the economy. Working in partnership with the private sector to drive forward its mission for economic growth and the ambitious plan to achieve clean power by 2030. This week’s International Investment Summit in London provided a valuable opportunity to discuss this with government officials, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and industry executives.    As the leading power generator and a leading renewables developer in the UK, we are already generating electricity for around 12 million homes with an installed capacity of almost 10 GW.     With 2.2 GW of renewables currently under construction across offshore and onshore wind, solar, and storage, we intend to invest around €8 billion net until the end of this decade in developing clean energy projects in the UK and further strengthening our presence. Meanwhile, we are helping to unlock a green economy in the UK by generating high-quality jobs, strengthening supply chains, and fostering thriving local communities.    I would like to thank everyone involved in the organisation of this excellent summit, as well as Prime Minister Keir Starmer, State Secretary Ed Miliband from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Sarah Jones, Minister for Industry, and Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales, for the valuable exchange. 📷: Jonathan Brad /PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

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I'm proud of the strides we've made with our latest Climate Transition Plan (CTP). Our CTP document summarises really clearly the different buckets of our emissions, the progress we have made, and our plans for dealing with each one. We set out clearly the dependencies and trade-offs involved, including the policy and regulatory support needed. We have also aligned our plan with the newest Transition Plan Taskforce guidance. We are focused on delivering net zero whilst maintaining reliability and affordability. #ClimateLeadership #NetZero

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"Potential new smart data scheme to drive innovation and support consumers in the energy market" says Michael Shanks, Minister for Energy Another part of the future consumer energy landscape arrives with this new call for evidence relating to a Consumer Smart Energy Open Data model comparable with Open Banking. It is published by Department for Energy Security and Net Zero today at https://lnkd.in/euKMZh7V. Their LinkedIn post here is at https://lnkd.in/evRd7Sv8 This is the next step on from today's DCC 'Other User' service into a wider framework of secure data access between consumers and innovating providers on the basis of consent given consistently. It is an area I worked on extensively at PA Consulting and now as Coylenergy ltd. In my work I engage on the building blocks emerging across data access, consent, sharing, flexibility frameworks and more to consider the new consumer energy technical foundation to combine with technology provider innovation in tariffs, technology and business models. It is interesting this is published today when the Prime Minister launches the AI Opportunities Action Plan at https://lnkd.in/e4vmQ4N8. The shift to combine artificial and human intelligence is underway, as we can see in such as the Grid Foundational AI models described by Smart Energy International at https://lnkd.in/ezrpF328. This now means we need to focus on the delivering benefit balanced in equal part with mitigating new risks of data access, accuracy verification, cyber security and unintended operational outcomes. Also see: Current-news.co.uk - https://lnkd.in/egtrv-GB The Energyst - https://lnkd.in/eJq9uthb BusinessGreen - https://lnkd.in/eSwcxTwa edie - https://lnkd.in/e44uhRPR (both AI and consumer smart data topics) At our winter newsletter my top tip for 2025 was 'Energy sector policy into action' especially in relation to the new market framework that underpins consumer innovation and their contribution to the wider energy system. Read more at https://lnkd.in/epkMEeBz I am speaking about the shift into a 4th wave of our society combining human and artificial intelligence for consumer energy benefit at DDC Discusses on 5th February at the Science Museum. See more at https://lnkd.in/e9KiBpgT and https://lnkd.in/e4mJjtgW. For those in my network seeking to join us there as part of a wide group of technology companies, consumer advocates, advisors and innovators let me know at [email protected]. This is the start of a sector wide focus on this next era of energy benefit. (PS, apologies for the low-resolution image, it is the one DESNZ used at first and is seems LinkedIn does not allow it to be replaced after posting). #smartenergy #consumerenergy #smartmeters #DERS #energyflexibility

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Really value how Energy Link Ltd takes a plain English approach to explaining the impact of dispatchable demand versus voluntary industrial demand response, and what this means for price signals in the #market in the move to greater #renewable #electricity

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It's great that we're seeing trust being regained in energy suppliers. They have an important role to play in the energy transition, and with their intimate customer touchpoint are well placed to be supporting the move to net zero by engaging customers with excellent experiences, information and support. Let's hope that reports that electricity smart meter installations plummeting to their lowest levels since 2020 is just a blip, and retailers can continue to drive installs to support better data, and unlock flexibility opportunities at scale. #energytransition #netzero #retailenergy #customerengagement https://lnkd.in/e3A_jeHe

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A few key takeaways from the UK's National Grid Chief Data Officer on how networks are transforming how they use data. Well worth a listen, but if you're short of time see some top takeaways below (my favourite is #5), or feel free to reach out... 1) The shift from traditional energy sources to renewable ones introduces complexity in grid management. New assets require real-time data to balance supply and demand effectively, especially with variable energy sources like wind and solar. 2) There are significant risks and challenges in achieving effective data management, including customer consent for data sharing, cybersecurity concerns, and the volume of data that needs to be handled.Technical infrastructure readiness is crucial for successful data sharing, requiring market participants to connect and manage data effectively. 3) The cost of implementing data solutions is a concern, especially with new regulations potentially complicating data management and increasing expenses for companies. 4) Building a solid data foundation involves focusing on three key areas: data talent, data products, and governance. A coherent data profession is vital for a successful data strategy. 5) The focus is shifting from technology platforms to organizing data into discrete products and services that can be shared and contracted. Governance and control over data management are essential, with a modern approach to embedding decision-making at the API level. Phil Goulstone James Colbert, Navdeep Kundra, Peter Sherry, Paul Costa

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The UK plans to triple it’s use of clean energy (solar/batteries, wind, etc) by 2030. How will they get there? The entire plan, published last Friday, is outlined here: https://hubs.ly/Q02_GH370

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As a recent rooftop solar contributor to the grid, I was particularly interested in the fact that the share of renewable energy in the grid increased to 39% from 37.4% in Q1, 2023. With flexible exports still not the norm, the standard export limit set at around 5 kilowatts (kW), meaning that there may be a significant amount of generation that is still not be optimally utilised. Interestingly, SA Power Networks launched Flexible Exports as a connection option alongside the SA Government's Dynamic Export requirements on July 1, 2023. This program follows a successful trial in 37 suburbs. The rollout is ongoing, with the goal of making Flexible Exports available across the entire state by the end of 2024.

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A few weeks ago I joined Lily to talk about how things have evolved in the energy sector since the invasion of Ukraine. Unsurprisingly, I talk about customer centric approaches and the role communications has in supporting, advising and educating as part of a fair and just energy transition. There are some pretty big challenges to tackle. The great news…. Lots of very bright minds working on solutions collaboratively. I’m optimistic that the new skills and capabilities we are attracting into energy means we can accelerate process without leaving anyone behind. But. It will need us to think differently. #netzero #energytransition

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Link to join the 2nd in our 3 part webinar series below. The series looks at challenges and opportunities as the penetration of variable renewables continues to grow and energy markets facing increasing exposure to weather and climate-related variability. In this part we explore new insights into how price formation may be effected and the potential to better understand related risks and opportunities.

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While we are always looking for innovative ways to reduce carbon footprints, Octopus Energy group has come up with an innovative, if not unusual method of renewables storage - free electricity. The plan being trialled is in response to so-called curtailment, when the wind and solar produces more energy that can be loaded onto the grid. This can lead to renewable energy production being switched off, at a cost to the consumer of an estimated £800m during 2020-21. Learn more here: https://heyor.ca/07Jry8 #OctopusEnergy #RenewableEnergy #EnergyCurtailment

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A few early thoughts from the first two sessions at the Energy Live Consultancy Conference in Manchester today… #ELCC2024 📑 Energy policy Consensus from the stage that energy policy continues to be complex in places, and I’d argue simple in others. For large energy end users there is definitely a need for more clarity on changes in policy and what it means to them and them specifically. That’s where people like me come in, calmly and methodically translating policy changes into specific client impacts because there’s a bit of a void in the marketplace. 🛜 Market wide half hourly settlement (MHHS) Sounds like suppliers are still in the process of preparing to offer tariffs that take advantage of MHHS. For me though that’s not much of an exciting prospect. For years and years suppliers have offered seasonal time of day tariffs (STOD) and I can’t see how this is different. I’m still in the world where all suppliers need to lift the overall levels of customer service for existing tariffs rather than launch new products that don’t add value. That will pay greater dividends than new MHHS tariffs. Having said that MHHS is important for my next point… ♻️ Net zero investment A question came from the audience about the challenges for the hospitality sector and the difficulty in investing in energy efficiency and net zero. I heard a comment that it’s not possible to shift the time of day that the sector uses energy and also that payback of investment is too long, a period of 15 years was mentioned. I’m going to dispute both points. With a commercial battery it is possible to move consumption from day to night with a payback of less than 4 years. Take a look at ESME Energy for example. 🌊 Forthcoming data tsunami Sumit Bose used the phrase ‘data tsunami’ in one of his questions to the panel. He’s right, there’s a huge amount of data that can be used to enrich client understanding. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that we still have issues in the industry with some of the most basic data points e.g. opening and closing reads. That’s been an issue for decades and it remains that way creating lasting knock on effects in invoicing.

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How much grid reform can realistically be achieved by 2030? The UK's electricity grid connection system is facing significant backlogs, primarily due to the rapid increase in renewable energy projects and the ageing infrastructure not being able to keep up. As of now, more than 500GW of projects are waiting to connect, with some queued for over 10 years, particularly those with connection dates beyond 2030. This backlog has largely been caused by an 80% rise in applications in the last year alone, straining the grid's capacity. To address this, Ofgem and National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO) have introduced reforms aimed at expediting connections and improving efficiency. One of the key changes includes new queue management policies, allowing NGESO to remove stalled projects, and ensuring that active projects progress faster. Additionally, Ofgem has initiated short-term measures, such as transitional offers for grid connections starting from September 2024, intended to prevent bottlenecks while a more robust, reformed system is developed.

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You probably didn't notice but October 1st was the launch date of the newest public institution in the UK – the 'National Energy System Operator' (NESO). The NESO replaces National Grid and is mandated with the simple task of ... "delivering electricity decarbonisation and whole energy system planning to deliver Net-Zero." This is a great initiative that has been many years in the making with cross party support. We need whole of system thinking and the NESO will have strategic oversight of both the electricity and gas systems. The first task is to take our electricity grid to net zero by 2030 which NESO say can be achieved. At Elyos Energy we're looking forward to contributing to make this a reality. https://lnkd.in/dRQRpHti

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It’s a momentous day for National Grid as we announced around £60 billion investment in networks over the next five years, backed by a £7bn equity raise. At nearly double the investment over the last five years, this will accelerate the energy transition, decarbonisation and bolster security of supply. We’ll be building out infrastructure at a scale never seen before and streamlining our strategy to focus almost entirely on networks, with nearly 80% of our activity focused on electricity by 2029. 

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National Grid pays businesses with high energy consumption for participating in HM Government sponsored energy flexibility programmes, such as the #CapacityMarket. The financial and environmental rewards are very compelling. Join this webinar and my Enel X colleagues Stephanie Gewargis and Wayne Davies will help you to get a better understanding of: 🧐 How energy flexibility programmes work 💷 How much you can earn 🏭 Who can participate ℹ How to apply

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Today the UK #energy #market continues to be shaped by dynamic fluctuations in #electricity and #gas prices, driven by both domestic factors and broader global energy trends. Electricity Prices: The UK's electricity market has seen varied movements in pricing across different contracts. The UK Day-Ahead (DA) Base price for electricity settled at £80.64 per megawatt-hour (MWh) on August 13, 2024, reflecting a slight increase compared to previous settlements. This trend is consistent with a broader rise across spot and forward contracts, indicating potential upward pressure on prices as we approach the winter months. Gas Prices: Natural gas prices in the UK have shown a similar pattern of slight declines and increases across various contracts. The National Balancing Point (NBP) Day-Ahead price for gas stood at 84.00 pence per therm on August 13, 2024, slightly down from the previous day. However, forward contracts for the upcoming winter months remain higher, with November 2024 gas prices at 109.25 pence per therm. This reflects ongoing concerns about supply constraints and the need for storage filling ahead of the colder season. Market Influences: Several factors have influenced these price movements. The UK's electricity prices are partially affected by the availability of imports from Norway and the operational status of domestic facilities, including scheduled maintenance outages. Additionally, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has continued to cast uncertainty over gas flows from Russia, which has a ripple effect across European gas markets. Looking Ahead: As we move towards the winter of 2024-2025, market participants are keeping a close eye on storage levels and import capacities, which will play critical roles in determining the trajectory of energy prices. The European Commission's target of achieving a 90% fill rate for gas storage by November 1, 2024, adds an additional layer of strategic importance to these developments. In summary, while electricity prices in the UK have experienced moderate gains, gas prices continue to fluctuate with an overall upward trend for the winter months. Stakeholders in the energy market should remain vigilant to these developments as they plan for the rest of the year​.

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National Grid rewards businesses with high energy consumption for being flexible, helping them to turn energy management into a competitive advantage. Is your business missing out on the chance to earn revenue from your existing energy infrastructure? Join Wayne Davies and Ged Ward on Tuesday the 26th of November at 11am to learn how small operational changes can lead to significant financial rewards through energy flexibility programs like the GB Capacity Market. You'll discover how to monetise your energy assets, support energy security, and reduce CO2 emissions. Register below! ⬇ Enel X Food Manufacture

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