regulation

  • Heat networks

    Heat network approaches being developed by devolved administrations and UK government

    A number of further consultations on the policy approaches for heat networks have been issued in recent weeks:  The Scottish government published its draft Heat Networks Delivery Plan on 15 November, outlining how it will quintuple heat demand provided from heat networks in Scotland by 2030; and The UK government issued...

  • Power and gas networks

    New Fault Ride Through compliance arrangements introduced for transmission-connected generators

    Ofgem approved Workgroup Alternative Grid Code Modification 1 (WAGCM1) of GC0151 Grid Code Compliance with Fault Ride Through (FRT) Requirements on 5 November. In short, this decision introduces a new, legal process, into the Grid Code – the legal text that governs those connecting to the electricity transmission system -...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    April showers bring DUoS for every half hour

    Almost two years ago, Ofgem approved DCP268 DUoS Charging Using HH Settlement Data, which will move existing non-Half Hourly (NHH) settled demand customers onto time-based Half Hourly (HH) Distribution Use of System (DUoS) unit rate charges. With the modification to be implemented in the DCUSA on 1 April, we revisit...

  • Net zero corporates and ESG

    Major energy policy and regulatory changes discussed in our December Net Zero Business forum

    On 10 December 2020, Cornwall Insight hosted its Net Zero Business Forum. Held four days before the release of the UK government’s Energy White Paper, the focus was on the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan, the Spending Review and the National Infrastructure Strategy. Head of Relationship Development Robert Buckley and Head...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Divergent electricity prices in the wake of Brexit

    On 1 January 2021, the UK left the European Union (EU) and as such is no longer part of the Internal Energy Market (IEM). While the UK and the EU agreed a post-Brexit Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 24 December, outlining how energy markets, interconnectors and regulation will be affected,...

  • Regulation and policy

    Into the unknown: navigating principles-based regulation in unpredictable times

    On 1 August our latest update to the Energy Supplier Compliance Portal went live and included changes to the compliance landscape seen during May, June and July this year. Among other developments, Ofgem’s final proposals as part of the second phase of its Supplier Licensing Review (SLR) are reflected in...

  • Regulation and policy

    Editor’s Pick | Net zero: an evolution

    This article was originally published on 28 January 2020 in Energy:2030 Issue 25. Welcome to the last Energy:2030 in its current format. From March, this publication will be called Energy: Net Zero and will be renewed with a dedicated and fresh focus on the challenge of transitioning our energy sector...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Storage story: a regulatory run-down

    While electricity storage has long been recognised as a crucial solution to mitigating the drawbacks of some types of renewable generation, it has taken some time for the regulatory and charging framework to catch up. It has taken years, but recent progress on the licensing and exemptions from some final...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Editor’s Pick | NAO on networks: good service, but costs too high

    The National Audit Office (NAO) has concluded that electricity networks have provided a good service, but the costs for consumers have been too high. In a report, published on 30 January, the NAO examined how effectively Ofgem has used price controls. The NAO found that consumers in GB experience fewer power...

  • Regulation and policy

    Principles-based SEG-ulation

    The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) went live on 1 January 2020. While billions around the world were welcoming in a new decade, new obligations meant that from that moment all suppliers with over 150,000 domestic electricity customers had to have a SEG compliant tariff. A SEG compliant tariff, simply put,...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Five things we learnt from Energy Spectrum | 656

    With an Ofgem review of the microbusiness sector in the offing, the increasingly competitive nature of the business energy market – which is also being radically overhauled by innovation – means that the regulator would be wise to take a wider, overall market view in its review process. This is...

  • Home supply and services

    Domestic electricity switching – More than Meets the Eye?

    Avid readers of Cornwall Insight Ireland’s blog will have seen last week our analysis on how switching rates could be impacted by new house registrations. In this week’s blog, we expand on this theme to look at other potential factors influencing electricity switching, namely how the price of tariffs offered...

  • Regulation and policy

    Government moves to mandate SMETS2 installations, but at what cost?

    There is little more than a month to go until 15 March, after which date first generation smart meters (SMETS1) installed for prepayment purposes or by suppliers with derogations will not count towards smart meter roll out targets. However, there is now another deadline looming, with BEIS consulting on its...

  • Regulation and policy

    Suppliers to identify engagement opportunities

    Following stakeholder engagement throughout last year, Ofgem’s reforms to domestic customer-supplier communications will be effective from 11 February 2019. In less than two weeks’ time, suppliers are expected to be delivering proactive approaches to engaging consumers in accordance with five enforceable principles set out under four new supply licence conditions....

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Cliff-hanger: supplier new entry in volatile markets

    Weekly overview of our Energy Spectrum publication In this week’s Energy Perspective, we set out how recent wholesale price events, and increased volatility generally, could be impacting new entrant domestic suppliers. Where their business model is customer acquisition through cheap fixed prices, accompanied by low levels of trading for risk management,...

  • Regulation and policy

    Inventing the future: innovation in RIIO-2

    Overview of our weekly publication - Energy Spectrum Energy Perspective Last week, we summarised Ofgem’s recently issued consultation on the framework for RIIO2. In this week’s Energy Perspective, we focus more closely on the component parts of the regulator’s latest thinking. While the fact Ofgem has already flagged that network companies should...

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Electricity Markets in Transition | A Cornwall Insight and Gowling WLG White Paper

    Cornwall Insight and Gowling WLG have co-authored a thought leadership paper on Electricity Markets in Transition. The focus is on key technology innovations either currently at play, or which can be reasonably be foreseen and what this means for innovators, market participants, and the regulatory and policy setting. The paper,...