Thursday 12 March 2020

Choice in power will facilitate the route to net zero

The electricity network will need to be flexible enough to deliver choice for consumers in the future.

That's the view of Basil Scarsella, the CEO of UK Power Networks, who told Shravan Joshi from the City of London, the challenges of future power are not about one particular energy source.

Whether it's hydrogen boilers, solar panels, biomass or even nuclear power, what matters is offering the ability to deliver the energy.

Mr Scarsella said: "We need to deliver an electricity distribution system that offers complete choice for the end consumer. Our networks shouldn't get in the way of that."

The challenge he added was trying to balance what consumers may want, with what can be delivered.

"Our job is to adapt to changes. We have seen the electrification of 6-7,000 buses in London and we have connected up 67 bus garages working in partnership with TFL and that number is only going to rise.

"And just think about the electrification of heat in homes, it's all a big challenge but it's an exciting challenge. I look forward to it and London and UK in general, I think is ahead of other countries in the transition to net zero."

Hear more from the conversation in the podcast.