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Image Credit: National Grid
UK energy regulator Ofgem has unveiled bold reforms designed to overhaul the outdated electricity grid connection system, paving the way for the integration of cheaper, cleaner power at record speed.
The new framework, set to take effect as early as spring 2025, will scrap the current first-come, first-served model, in which many renewable energy and battery storage projects languish in decade-long queues before accessing the grid. Instead, priority will be given to " ready " projects and "needed" projects to meet the government’s 2030 clean power targets.
Under these proposals, projects that can go live sooner will receive fast-tracked grid access, with accelerated connection offers rolling out by year’s end. If successfully implemented, the first wave of priority projects could be up and running by 2026.
The move has been met with widespread support from the renewable energy sector, particularly as it clears the path for removing so-called “zombie projects”— stalled developments clogging up the connections queue without realistic timelines.
RenewableUK’s director of future electricity systems, Barnaby Wharton, said: “Promoting shovel-ready clean energy projects by removing speculative zombie schemes which are blocking them in the queue would help to reduce the huge backlog of grid connection applications across the energy sector, which now stands at over 700 gigawatts.
“As long as these measures are implemented in the right way, they should provide greater clarity for developers on faster timescales to connect to the grid, potentially unlocking up to £15bn investment in offshore wind alone, helping us to reach the Government's target of clean power by 2030.”
Stephen McKellar, Head of Grid and Networks at Scottish Renewables, said: “As the connections queue has more than 700GW of projects waiting to connect - almost four times the electricity demand we will need by 2050 - we welcome Ofgem’s continued efforts to address this issue through reform.
“While these moves from Ofgem are welcome, it is vital for the future success of Scotland’s renewable energy industry that any decisions on moving or removing projects with grid connection agreements are based on sound, evidence-driven analysis to avoid unintended and potentially negative consequences.
“The need to urgently find a solution cannot be overstated and any reform must be implemented as quickly as possible so that we can get moving to build the projects our future clean energy system will need.”
Ofgem’s director general for infrastructure, Akshay Kaul, said the aim was to tackle delays and shorten queues on the current “outdated and unwieldy system”.
Kaul added: “Britain will not get a clean power grid by 2030 unless an unprecedented volume of new renewable power and storage is connected to electricity networks – that’s why we’re cutting back the red tape and replacing the out-of-date connections system.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “We have enough energy projects in the grid connection queue to deliver clean power by 2030, but many are stuck behind speculative schemes, leading to delays of up to 10 years.
“These reforms are critical to deliver clean power by 2030, which will bring forward an estimated £200 billion of private investment.
“Our Clean Power Action Plan will fix the broken ‘first come, first served’ system, and these changes will mean a targeted approach which prioritises quicker connections for the right projects in the right place, so Britain can accelerate towards a new era of clean electricity.”
This reform is critical, as the UK government’s Clean Power Action Plan aims to double the grid’s capacity within five years. Ofgem emphasised that unlocking investment, expediting infrastructure upgrades, and rapidly deploying renewable energy at scale will be key to hitting net-zero targets.
These landmark changes mark a significant shift in how the UK manages energy transition—shifting focus from bureaucratic bottlenecks to an era of efficient, high-impact deployment.
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