UK energy market regulation, policy, and regulatory frameworks
25 articles
Across the utilities value chain—from grid operators and engineers to retail suppliers—the same challenge emerges: data is plentiful, but without specialized knowledge, it becomes noise, not insight.
Energy software is easy to build. What’s hard is making it matter. Across the sector—from grid operators to retail suppliers—the challenge is the same: data without context is just noise. Great products reduce effort by embedding industry-specific insight.
Moving beyond the legacy system of estimated consumption profiles, MWHH mandates universal settlement based on actual half-hourly metered data, delivering projected net benefits of £1.5-4.5 billion by 2045.
As we enter 2024, the market is more complex, interconnected, and dynamic than ever before. The next phase will be defined by the delivery of net zero, the integration of new technologies, the evolution of market structures, and the imperative to ensure fairness and resilience for all consumers.
In this article, I’ll explore how Ofgem’s role has changed, the regulatory tools at its disposal, the challenges it faces, and the future of market regulation in a decarbonising, digitalising world.
In this article, I’ll explore the landscape of consumer vulnerability in the energy market, the policy and regulatory frameworks designed to protect and empower vulnerable consumers, the challenges of digitalisation and decarbonisation, and the path to a just transition.
In this article, I’ll explore the evolving role of transmission, the policy and regulatory frameworks shaping its future, the technical and commercial challenges ahead, and the innovations that will define the next era of system operation.
In this article, I’ll explore the central role of data and digitalization in the GB energy transition, the policy and regulatory frameworks shaping this evolution, the opportunities and risks, and the path forward.
In this article, I’ll explore the rise of aggregators, the regulatory and commercial frameworks shaping their participation, the challenges and opportunities they face, and their growing impact on the energy transition.
In this article, I’ll explain what MHHS is, why it matters, how it’s being delivered, and what it means for market participants and consumers.
In this article, I’ll examine the evolution of the retail market, the challenges it faces, and the options for reform being debated in 2022.
In this article, I’ll explore the future of gas in Great Britain, focusing on the roles of hydrogen, biomethane, and the evolving policy and regulatory landscape. I’ll also examine the technical, economic, and market challenges that must be overcome to deliver a low-carbon gas system.
The GB energy market has always been exposed to the ebb and flow of global commodity prices, but the volatility seen in 2021–2022 has been unprecedented. Wholesale price spikes have tested the resilience of suppliers, exposed weaknesses in risk management, and forced a re-examination of hedging strategies. Yet, volatility also brings opportunity—for those able to manage risk, innovate, and adapt.
Smart meters are a cornerstone of the UK’s energy transition, underpinning everything from demand-side response to market-wide half-hourly settlement. The national rollout, one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in recent memory, promises to empower consumers, enable flexibility, and support decarbonisation. Yet, the journey has been far from smooth.
As the GB electricity system transitions to net zero, flexibility is becoming as valuable as raw capacity. Demand Side Response (DSR)—the ability of consumers to adjust their electricity usage in response to market signals or system needs—is emerging as a critical tool for balancing the grid, integrating renewables, and reducing costs.
As the GB electricity system decarbonises and becomes more reliant on variable renewables, ensuring security of supply—especially during winter peaks—remains a top priority for policymakers, the ESO, and market participants.
The privatisation of the GB energy market was intended to foster competition, drive innovation, and deliver better value for consumers. For much of the 2010s, this vision seemed to be coming true: dozens of new, agile suppliers entered the market, challenging the dominance of the “Big Six” and offering consumers more choice than ever before.
Decarbonisation is no longer a distant ambition—it is the central driver of policy, investment, and innovation. In this article, I’ll explore the key policy levers, regulatory frameworks, and market mechanisms that are accelerating the transition to a low-carbon electricity system in Great Britain.
The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) sits at the heart of the GB electricity system, quietly ensuring that power flows reliably to homes and businesses every second of every day. While generators, suppliers, and consumers interact through markets and contracts, it is the ESO that orchestrates the real-time balancing act—anticipating, responding, and intervening to keep the system stable.
Electricity is unique among commodities: it must be produced and consumed in real time, with supply and demand balanced every second. In Great Britain, this delicate equilibrium is maintained through a sophisticated system of balancing and settlement, overseen by National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) and Elexon.
The wave of supplier failures during the 2021–2022 energy crisis has brought the Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) process into sharp focus. This mechanism is critical for maintaining consumer confidence and market stability in both the gas and electricity sectors.
The energy price cap has become a headline issue in the GB utilities sector, especially as we move through the turbulence of 2021–22. But what exactly is the price cap, how does it work for both gas and electricity, and what are its implications for consumers and suppliers?
To understand the current turbulence in the GB energy market, it’s essential to look back at how we got here. The story of UK utilities is one of radical transformation: from state-run monopolies to a liberalised, competitive market, and now to a sector grappling with decarbonisation and unprecedented volatility.
Introduction Welcome to the first post in my new series exploring the Great Britain (GB) utilities and energy market. My aim is to demystify the complex world of energy supply, regulation, and settlement, and to chart the dramatic changes we’re seeing in the sector as we move through 2022 and beyond.
BSC Modification P272, implemented on 1 April 2017 after six years of development, mandated half-hourly (HH) settlement for Profile Classes 5-8, fundamentally transforming GB electricity market operations.
