18 June 2013: In November of last year the Mayor held an Electricity Summit at City Hall where a High Level Electricity Working Group was formed to “discuss the energy systems needed by London over the coming decades and the mechanisms by which the challenges can be met”. A background paper Delivering an Accessible and Competitive Electricity Network for London was presented as well as a presentation setting out the remit of the Working Group.
The papers from the first two High Level Group Meetings have now become available and can be downloaded here (15 January) and here (28 March).
The papers for the 15 January meeting set some comprehensive information of key issues and detail the future priorities of the Group including:
- Identifying growth hotspots and areas of existing network stress that require strategic infrastructure investment
- the Potential of Decentralised Energy systems, district heating and demand side response measures to reduce electricity distribution infrastructure costs
- and Estimating costs of investments required and considering models for how they could be met/shared
The March 28 meeting set out a series of action points including that:
“The GLA and UKPN are establishing a sub- group with respective experts to discuss identified Decentralised Energy and demand side response issue identified at the January meeting. It meets for the first time on 3 May. As and when appropriate, the sub-group will report back to the High-level Working Group.”
The third of the Working Group meetings took place today: Sir Edward Lister is standing down from chairing, and the Mayor’s Environment and Political Advisor Matthew Pencharz will attend the Group meetings from today and chair from henceforth.
See here for the Mayor’s response on how renewable generators issues will be represented on the Group.