National Grid : publishes its view on the future of energy networks

30 Nov 2016

• National Grid publishes four documents on the long term future of energy networks.
• Gas demand to increase over next 10 years to support intermittent and flexible electricity generation.
• New Gas Future Operability Planning document will give the market a view out to 2050.

Today National Grid publishes its long term view of gas and electricity transmission capability and operability across four documents; Electricity Ten Year Statement (ETYS); Gas Ten Year Statement (GTYS); System Operability Framework (SOF); and the first Gas Future Operability Planning document (GFOP).

Great Britain's energy landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, so it has never been more important to have a clear picture of the challenges that lie ahead over the next decade. Every year National Grid works with stakeholders from across the industry to understand the future of the electricity and gas transmission networks. The result is a number of in depth documents providing industry stakeholders with analysis about the changing demands on our networks.

This year's Electricity Ten Year Statement (ETYS) highlights that keeping demand supplied through the National Electricity Transmission System will be vital, particularly as generation shifts away from closing fossil-fuelled plants towards increased reliance on intermittent generation.

The 2016 Gas Ten Year Statement (GTYS) explains how gas demand will increase over the next ten years. Higher levels of gas-fired generation will be used to support intermittent renewable sources and for flexible electricity generation.

The System Operability Framework recognises that more flexibility in the Electricity Transmission System will be needed to manage variations in intermittent generation and interconnector outputs.

The new Gas Future Operability Planning document follows on from the Gas Ten Year Statement to consider how changing customer requirements will have an impact on the operations and processes of the National Transmission System out to 2050.

Yesterday also saw the launch of National Grid's Future of Gas project which asks industry and policymakers to look at the future role of gas and the gas transmission network. Read the full Future of Gas document at http://futureofgas.uk or join the debate on Twitter (#FutureOfGas) or on LinkedIn

You can read the documents by visiting the Future of Energy homepage.