Octopus boss urges rapid clean energy push

Greg Jackson has called for collaboration to speed up clean energy, lower costs, boost energy security and attract investors to the UK

Big Zero Report 2023

Greg Jackson, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Octopus, has emphasised the urgency of collaborative efforts to expedite the UK’s energy transition.

In a statement to Energy Live News, Jackson stressed the importance of various stakeholders, including the government, national grid operators, regulators, energy companies and investors, working together.

Mr Jackson noted that the National Grid is already taking steps to accelerate reforms aimed at resolving the challenges associated with grid connections.

Greg Jackson said: “It’s clear that National Grid is moving at pace and working for reforms that will help the connections issue. We need government, grid, regulator, energy companies and investors to work together to help drive rapid change.

“Customers will benefit if we can build more clean, cheap generation more quickly, where it has local support.

“The faster we do this, the sooner prices can fall, the more secure our energy will be, and the more attractive the UK will be for investors.”

Octopus, the UK’s second-largest household energy supplier has told The Telegraph it is struggling to invest £28 billion in renewable projects due to significant delays in connecting to the National Grid.

The company cited challenges connecting solar farms, with delays of up to 13 years, as a major hurdle.

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