Wednesday 28 June 2023

“Our relationship with electricity is going to deepen and expand beyond anything you do today”

Electricity will lead the charge to net zero.

That’s the view of President of National Grid Electricity Distribution Networks, Cordi O’Hara who told a packed auditorium at the Big Zero Show: “You will want to be in a place where not only is your vehicle or your heat pump a source of low carbon heat, it's also a source of income and revenue to keep your bills as low as possible. And that's where, as local distribution companies, we are having to build, quite rightly.”

National Grid is preparing to decarbonise homes and communities quickly and at low costs, with trials in heat pumps and solutions to Electric Vehicle (EV) charging.

They are currently trialling project Equinox, which has installed 400 heat pumps in partnership with Octopus. Ms O’Hara said that the project has successfully lowered costs for customers and could help thousands of customers struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

She believes that a net zero transition will also mean a greater reliance on electricity.

She said: It will be the life source of our communities, our businesses, and the way that we choose to live our lives.”

She added: “Of course we need smart solutions. We need to connect quick people rapidly to the new devices and ways they want to live their lives.

“But we need to do that responsibly and we also need to think about not leaving anyone behind within the transition. So not only does my business need to think innovatively, smartly and flexibly, it also needs to think community and customer.”

What does the future on National Grid look like? Watch the full session to find out.