Levelling Up Housing in the UK means Levelling Up UK Grid
From decarbonisation goals and housing policies to data-hungry innovative technologies, change is inevitable for the UK grid
Now, more than ever, we’re seeing increased network demand driven by the push towards decarbonisation and the policies being shaped by the Labour government, according to VisNet, the leading real-time Low-Voltage asset management solutions provider.
Dave A Roberts, Managing Director, VisNet Modelling, stated: “With Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, doubling down on Labour’s promise for 1.5millions homes in the next five years, with an annual of target of 370,000 new homes, it is imperative that we adapt to new technologies to help ease the impact of added demand on the network.
“Although this is welcome news, and a great step towards solving the UK’s housing shortage, such a rapid increase of new homes will have implications for owners and operators of the electrical network, with increased demand for new connections placing additional pressures on the grid.”
Central to this is the new drive for house building, which follows a string of legislation to support the country’s net zero obligations and facilitate the uptake of low-carbon technologies (LCTs).
Roberts continued: “For example, since June 2022, all new homes in the UK are now required to have electric car charging points under Part S of the Building Regulations. Similarly, starting 2025, gas boilers will be banned in all new build properties as part of the Future Homes Standard, which will favour the installation of more sustainable heating solutions such as heat pumps.”
Initiatives for existing housing are also driving demand, with programmes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) offering grants to eligible homeowners to upgrade the energy performance of their properties, which can include the installation of appropriate renewable technologies.
“Whether new build or retrofit, one thing is certain: the increase in homes and LCTs will mean more pressure on the owners and operators of the network. Monitoring existing networks and accurately modelling new connections will be essential to futureproof our networks.
“So, while it’s clear that the coming years present many challenges, there are numerous opportunities too, and we’re looking forward to helping our customers develop stronger, futureproofed networks as we take this next step on the journey towards net zero,” concluded Roberts.
