Networks

Projects

Zonal Pricing, Volume Risk and the 2030 Clean Power Target

This timely project sought to understand how zonal pricing will impact investor risk in upcoming...

Unlocking the Full Potential of Flexibility

This project aims to develop methods and tools to accurately quantify and harness the value of...

Spatial Energy System Planning

This project focuses on Strategic Spatial Energy Planning and environmental information for energy...

National scale spatial modelling

The ADVENT programme has developed a sophisticated modelling tool that can be used to optimally...

Energy and Networks

The experience of Germany suggests that the integration of large amounts of inflexible nuclear...

Operation of Offshore HVDC Networks

The impact of offshore systems Previous work on offshore, multi-terminal, high-voltage, direct...

Modelling Spatial & Temporal Diversity

This project will draw upon engineering knowledge to articulate a set of necessary but sufficient...

Impact of Variability of Renewable Energy

Utilising results from the energy security analysis in the Future Energy System Pathways programme...

Publications

Journal article

The Economics of Flexibility Service Contracting in Local Energy Markets: A Review

Using insights from transaction cost economics, this review adapts a theoretical model to analyse the contractual arrangements underpinning both local energy markets, the delivery of flexibility services therein, and the end-to-end process of flexibility service delivery.

Apr 2025

Working paper

Locational Signals in a Reformed National Market: A review of options

The working paper reviews a wide range of options that could be incorporated into a reformed national market and help the government make a well-informed decision on which market structure to take forward.

Jan 2025

Journal article

Public perceptions of heat decarbonisation in Great Britain: Awareness, values and the social circle effect

This journal article explores public attitudes of three decarbonised heating technologies currently being trialled or entering the market: heat pumps, hydrogen heating, and district heating networks. It found that network modelling estimated normative social forces (ie the ‘social circle’ effect) were highly influential in shaping attitudes to decarbonised heating.

Nov 2024

Briefing paper

UK Gas Security: Managing Energy Security Challenges and Transition Risks

This briefing paper offers a comprehensive review of UK Gas Security, integrating the work of sixteen researchers from across UKERC and the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

Sep 2024

News

Article

UKERC Researcher Talks About Zonal Pricing on BBC Scotland

UKERC Researcher Callum MacIver talked to BBC Scotland about zonal pricing on Friday 28th March on...

01 Apr 2025

Electricity demand during week one of COVID-19 lockdown

As we’ve all now realised, the world is experiencing the most severe pandemic since the 1918...

31 Mar 2020

What happened on August 9th – the investigations

The summer of 2019 saw the disconnection of more than a million electricity customers in the...

15 Jan 2020

What happened to our electricity system on Friday August 9th 2019?

Keith Bell, Professor of Smart Grids at the University of Strathclyde and a co-Director of the UK...

14 Aug 2019

It takes imagination to see a clean, net-zero future

In case you missed it, three weeks ago we published a blog from Keith Bell, UKERC Co-director and...

04 Jul 2019

New analysis shows the scale of Great Britain’s gas system flexibility

New research highlights the scale of flexibility currently provided by the high-pressure pipelines...

30 May 2019

Keith Bell responds to the Ofgem RIIO-2 Consultation

Ofgem and the regulated gas and electricity transmission companies are currently gearing up for the...

04 Apr 2019