UK government backs Smart Power Industry Alliance

Power market stakeholders have unified to make a new alliance on smart power, following a pan-industry campaign.

The Smart Power Industry Alliance officially launched on 23 October at Westminster.

The aim of the collaboration between leading energy trade associations and the National Grid is to create a smart energy pathway for technologies and services.

This will eventually lead to a decarbonisation the energy economy through equipping households, businesses, and communities with more control over energy usage.

RenewableUK, the Solar Trade Association (STA), and Tech UK’s Smart Infrastructure Initiative were among many of the groups to back and make the alliance.

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“This is the chance for the UK to be a leader in energy, but it does mean we have to work together to predict and overcome the challenges that will be there,” stated the leader of the initiative, Charles Hendry.

“Some people in the Conservative Party may say we’ve got enough experts. This is a sector where we certainly need them. I’m very pleased to be hearing what the experts in this room say over the weeks and months ahead. I wish you all the best of luck with it.”

The alliance has created a list key requests for the government and Ofgem:

• Putting consumers at the heart of energy policy by enabling households to play an active role in the energy system;
• To facilitate the creation of new markets for smart services, ensuring that all participants can compete on equal terms;
• Taking a whole-system approach to power by creating incentives for heat, transport and power sectors to collaborate more effectively;
• Accelerating the smart power transition by providing consistent policy and regulatory direction, and;
• To make smart power a central cog within the industrial strategy, providing incentives for key sectors to invest in smart technologies.