Year: 2020

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Celebrate with us: Our one year anniversary of Australian ‘Charts of the week’!

    To celebrate our Australian ‘Chart of the week’ one year anniversary, we’ve compiled our top four selection below! One | Guess who’s back… Batteries are back… back again This ‘Chart of the week’ was an update to a previous ‘Chart of the week’ released back in October 2019. We looked at the...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    ESB charts direction for changes to the NEM

    The below extract has been taken from our eighth edition of ‘Energy Spectrum Australia’, and if you would like to read more about the latest developments in the Australian energy market, please contact enquiries@cornwall-insight.com.au for a free trial of our ‘Energy Spectrum Australia’ service. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has provided an...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    In the midst of the Australian Energy Transformation Process

    Australia is in the midst of an energy supply and distribution transformation. This transition is twofold and includes not just bridging the gap from conventional fossil fuels to renewable technologies (due to their reduced carbon footprint, lower levelized cost of energy and improved reliability levels by comparation), but also requires...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    SEM articles of the year: All I want for Christmas is RESS-2

    With COVID-19 dominating our everyday lives, we saw similar trends in our most popular articles for the year. Demand shifts were observed in domestic and industrial settings with working patterns shifting from offices to homes all around the country. It was also a landmark year for the renewables industry with...

  • Announcement

    15 years on…

    2020 marks 15 years since the inception of Cornwall Insight. Take a look at the infographic to see how the UK energy economy and Cornwall Insight have changed.

  • Announcement

    Cornwall Insight comments on the Energy White Paper

    Commenting on the government's release of the Energy White Paper, which sets out plans to decarbonise the UK's energy system, Gareth Miller, CEO of Cornwall Insight, said: “The Energy White Paper maps out the biggest change to the energy markets since the Electricity Act of 1989. Many of the headlines...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    DNO to DSO: A work in progress

    Last month the Electricity Network Association (ENA) published updated figures regarding the procurement of Distribution Network Operator (DNO) flexibility services. This is the latest update from the ENA since April this year, with the document highlighting the historical uptake of services across the DNO regions. The publication also provides projections...

  • Regulation and policy

    New gas transmission charging requires early charge changes

    New gas transmission charging arrangements were implemented in October 2020 under UNC678A Amendments to Gas Charging Regime (Postage Stamp) in order to achieve alignment with the EU Tariffs Code (TAR). The change introduced a framework around capacity charges to cover transmission revenues with a methodology to calculate reserve prices based...

  • Regulation and policy

    Ofgem’s Network Access and Forward Looking Charges review – should I be interested

    Spoiler – if you are a distribution connected generator, yes, In a big way Ofgem is currently progressing one of its biggest overhauls of network charging; with the Targeted Charging Review having only recently concluded that is quite a statement. We have already seen the value to distribution connected generators...

  • Announcement

    Cornwall Insight advises Still Waters Green Technology for its 30MW flagship battery storage project

    We are pleased to announce that we have advised Still Waters Green Technology (SWGT) to secure the £12m non-recourse Phase One Financial Close with Santander UK. The deal was announced in November and will see a 30MW utility-scale battery storage project built in Swindon. Our experts leveraged their comprehensive knowledge...

  • Announcement

    Cornwall Insight supports Zenobē Energy on a £150mn equity capital raise

    Cornwall Insight, an energy consultancy, research, and analytics company, is pleased to announce its role in providing support Zenobē Energy secure a £150mn equity capital raise from Infracapital. The deal was announced on 13 November 2020, and the funding will be used to support the growth of Zenobē Energy’s grid-scale...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    The PM’s 10-point plan: Further thoughts from our Energy Spectrum webinar

    In our regular Energy Spectrum webinar on Tuesday 24 November, Senior Writer Nick Palmer and Head of Relationship Development Robert Buckley discussed the government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution. They considered what has led to this point, what is in the plan, what the reaction was to it...

  • Regulation and policy

    What will the introduction of the Retail Energy Code mean for metering companies?

    Ofgem has proposed that certain metering companies will need to become full parties to the new dual fuel Retail Energy Code (REC). What will this mean in practice? Metering Equipment Managers (MEMs) is a term introduced for the REC, encompassing electricity Meter Operator Agents (commonly termed MOPs) and gas Meter...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Quick take on the Spending Review and National Infrastructure Strategy

    Fresh from last week’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and yesterday’s 2021 CFD auction plans, the Treasury has earlier today issued its Spending Review 2020 and alongside the much-anticipated National Infrastructure Strategy (NIS). Both flesh out the commitments made in the 10 Point Plan and, in the...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    System operators warn of System Alerts risk this winter

    EirGrid and SONI issued their Winter Outlook for 2020-21 on 15 October in which they warned that if high generator forced outage rates continue over the winter period there is a risk of System Alerts. The transmission system operators (TSOs) said the all-island capacity margin this winter is predicted to be 929MW...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    The PM’s 10-point plan

    Late yesterday evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out his much-trailed 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution. In the plan, he announced a series of new funding and ambition announcements covering transport, hydrogen, energy efficiency, carbon capture, offshore wind, nuclear and green finance. Transport For transport, the PM announced long-term...

  • Low carbon generation

    Renewables Pipeline Tracker: Higher, faster, stronger – the changing nature of offshore wind

    Having released our October 2020 Renewables Pipeline Tracker report, which covers the latest developments for pipeline renewables sites across GB, this blog explores our recent findings on the pipeline and in particular offshore wind. The Renewables Pipeline Tracker is updated quarterly and includes information across over 1,000 prospective renewables sites...

  • Announcement

    15 years of Energy Spectrum and the Daily Bulletin

    We have just passed a notable landmark with the 15th anniversary of the launch of the Energy Spectrum Service. Things started with the first Daily Bulletin on 13 September 2005 – the main news on that day was E.ON UK applying for planning to build a CCGT at Drakelow. It...

  • Business supply and services

    Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose: the RO late payment deadline

    Today (11 November 2020) Ofgem has confirmed that there will be mutualisation of the 2019-20 Renewables Obligation. On Monday, in our 'Energy Spectrum' Perspective, we explained to customer’s why this was important and likely and what it means for the energy industry. Find out more about a free trial to Energy...

  • Regulation and policy

    Targeted Charging Review residual network charges – some remainders

    While Ofgem has ruled on the arrangements that will apply to distribution use of system (DUoS) charges from 1 April 2022 following the regulator’s Targeted Charging Review (TCR) Significant Code Review (SCR) decision last November, it has still to determine a series of CUSC modifications that aim to put in...

  • Low carbon generation

    Ireland to fall short of existing climate targets under BaU approach

    Published on 13 September, a report by the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) has called for a new policy system to enable the rapid deployment of renewable electricity. The third in a series of four studies which make up the 70by30 Implementation Plan, Building Onshore Wind identifies policy changes required for Ireland to deliver the...

  • Business supply and services

    Responses to COVID-19 boost energy suppliers’ reputations with customers

    2020 is, unfortunately, proving to be a year that we will never forget. It has been a year of change and adaptability for us all, including domestic energy suppliers, with many suppliers having had to adapt to increasing numbers of customers in distress while operating at reduced capacity and/or with...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Why standards matter for heat network customers | Energy Spectrum Nutwood

    Written by David Watson, Heat Trust For the 500,000 customers living and working on heat networks today, there is no Ofgem protection. Most lack the sort of basic consumer protection the rest of the market take for granted. Whilst the Heat Trust’s voluntary scheme makes a tangible difference to those...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Imbalance prices rise for sixth consecutive month

    This week we delve into system imbalance pricing, and look at the latest movements from the Balancing Market (BM). The BM ultimately reflects the actions taken by the transmission system operator to keep the system balanced. These actions determine the Imbalance Settlement Price (ISP) for each of the half-hourly settlement...

  • Regulation and policy

    Finding best practice in Ofgem’s compliance engagement outcomes

    The past few months have involved a shake-up of the status quo for all of us, with the ramifications of COVID-19 having a disproportionate impact across society. Being an essential service, energy has been at the forefront of policy-makers minds as suppliers have sought to ensure that those most severely...

  • Low carbon generation

    New policy measures needed to drive renewable generation

    Published on 24 August, a new report by Energy Storage Ireland and the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) called for action to strengthen Ireland’s electricity grid. The second of a series of four studies which make up the government’s 70 by 30 Implementation Plan, Saving Power outlines how to minimise dispatch down and increase the use...

  • Power and gas networks

    Understanding the backdrop of the UK hydrogen economy

    We are delighted to publish our research note on the hydrogen sector: 'Understanding the backdrop of the UK hydrogen economy'. Serving as a primer for our upcoming series of hydrogen insight papers, we chart the UK’s progress in developing a hydrogen industry. In our paper, we cover essential developments in...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    The Rewire-NW project: delivering a Smart Local Energy System

    The Rewire-NW project was launched in spring 2020. Led by Pure Leapfrog, the project is developing plans to create a Smart Local Energy System (SLES) with a focus on leading the town of Warrington towards Net Zero. Cornwall Insight is a key project partner in the project, providing regulatory and...

  • Low carbon generation

    Analyse thy neighbour: Interconnectors and their importance to future power prices

    Whilst we build towards 2021 and post-Brexit energy markets, focus has been applied to how we in GB strive towards net zero ambitions with a more independent policy agenda. However, regardless of future trading arrangements, interconnectors with EU nations will continue to play a pivotal role in driving wholesale power...

  • Low carbon generation

    All-Island wind dispatch-down rises year-on-year

    On 17 September, EirGrid published its Annual Renewable Energy Constraint and Curtailment Report 2019 which sets out the amount of wind and, for the first time, solar energy, that is available but cannot be used by the system (i.e. the dispatch-down of energy). Overall, the dispatch-down of energy from wind in Ireland...