Issuu

Are commercial sites paying for voltage they don't need? ➝

The real test of EV charging begins after handover ➝

Is grid connections reform finally fixing Britain's queue problem? ➝

www.electricalreview.co.uk | H2 2026 | Volume 260 | No 2

Storage needs to move beyond the megawatt headline ➝

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2 Electrical Review | H2 2026

Editor's comment Electrification is becoming everyone's problem The electrical industry can be quite strange sometimes. This is especially true when you think about how we often still talk about technologies as though they live in completely separate worlds. If you've visited the new Electrical Review website recently, you know we're guilty of it. Our topics are siloed, where 'EV Charging Infrastructure' lives under one section, while 'Storage & Resilience' is under another. Except, out in the real world, that's not exactly how things work. That's because, increasingly, all of these distinct technologies are actually interconnected. Put solar on a site and suddenly you're talking about grid capacity, medium voltage infrastructure and perhaps storage too. Add EV charging and now load management and communications are part of the conversation. Build a data centre and before long you're into grid connections, resilience, power quality and whether there are enough skilled people around to deliver any of it. You'll actually notice this sort of behaviour at Solar & Storage Live in Birmingham. There's a 'Solar Theatre' and 'Solar Entrance', and a 'Storage Theatre' and a 'Storage Entrance'. That means as you walk around the show floor, you'll see solar panels in one direction, batteries in another, then switchgear, inverters, EV charging, monitoring systems and everything else neatly divided into their own categories. And yet, the real world is rarely that tidy – and neither will the show floor in reality. You'll spot in those neatly divided areas a high level of crossover. You might go to a stand from an energy storage company, and yet learn all about how it interfaces with solar, or how it can help balance the grid, or optimise EV charging. It's rarely as neat as just 'this is our storage product'. You will also see that throughout this issue. Sure, we've divided things neatly into their own areas, but you'll see how everything still interfaces. Connections reform is changing which projects can move forward. Medium voltage decisions can shape whether renewable projects are practical to build. EV charging infrastructure has to work long after practical completion. And as more generation, storage and large electrical loads sit behind the same connection, questions around voltage, monitoring and safety become harder to treat separately. None of this means everyone suddenly has to become an expert in everything, but it probably does mean we need to get a little less comfortable staying in our own lanes. Electrification is creating more specialist technology than ever. Ironically, it's also making the industry much less able to work in silos.

Jordan O'Brien, Editor

Inside Commissioning & reliability

Are commercial sites paying for voltage they don't need?

Can automation help electrical contractors stop delays before they start? EV charging infrastructure

The real test of EV charging begins after handover Grid & connections

16 Is grid connections reform finally fixing Britain's queue problem? 20 Why renewable energy projects need to think beyond the point of generation Storage & resilience

22 Storage needs to move beyond the megawatt headline

MANAGING EDITOR Jordan O'Brien jordano@sjpbusinessmedia.com DESIGN & DIGITAL PRODUCTION Rob Castles robc@sjpbusinessmedia.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Massimo Marenghi +44 (0)07741 911 296 massimom@sjpbusinessmedia.com GROUP COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Tom Bell +44 (0) 7741 911302 tomb@sjpbusinessmedia.com MARKETING MANAGER Emily Szweda emilys@sjpbusinessmedia.com

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Are commercial sites paying for voltage they don't need? James Beck, Managing Director at PowerHub Solutions, explores why the gap between supplied and required voltage could be costing commercial sites more than they realise – and what engineers should consider before recommending a solution.

4 Electrical Review | H2 2026

ost commercial sites in the United Kingdom are supplied at a voltage comfortably above what their equipment was designed to use. The statutory supply under the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 is 230V with a tolerance of plus 10% and minus 6%, which permits anything from 216V to 253V at the point of supply. That framework dates back to the 1995 harmonisation exercise, when the United Kingdom moved its nominal declared voltage from 240V to 230V on paper, while the physical networks continued to deliver much the same voltage as before. Three decades later, many sites still receive 240V or more as a matter of routine, while the equipment inside them is designed around a 220V to 230V standard. That gap matters because the energy consumed by some types of equipment rises with the voltage applied to it, and because the wear on that equipment rises too. It also matters because the regulatory ground is now shifting. Between January and February this year, the Energy Networks Association consulted on a proposal to move the statutory limits to 230V with a symmetrical tolerance of plus or minus 10%, alongside a reduction of around 2% in average operating voltage across the distribution networks. The stated drivers are the accommodation of distributed

Commissioning & reliability

What a robust assessment looks like before any intervention

generation, electric vehicle charging and heat pumps, all of which behave better on a network with more headroom at the top of the range. For engineers advising commercial clients, the practical question is what this means for sites today and for interventions being specified now.

What overvoltage actually does, load by load

The effect of supply voltage on consumption depends entirely on the load. For simple resistive loads such as older heating elements, power consumed rises with the square of the voltage, so a site supplied at 245V rather than 230V is pushing roughly 13% more power through those circuits than at 230V. Filament and discharge lighting behave in a similar way, drawing more power and running hotter at elevated voltage, with lamp life shortening as a result. Directly fed induction motors sit somewhere in between, with excess voltage tending to increase iron losses and running temperature without producing more useful work, particularly on motors that are lightly loaded. None of that means every site is wasting 13% of its electricity. The distinction comes down to the load mix. Modern commercial estates are increasingly dominated by loads that regulate their own power draw regardless of supply voltage. Switched-mode power supplies, which sit inside almost every piece of IT equipment, draw constant power across the supply range. LED drivers do the same, which is one reason the savings case for voltage management has weakened on lighting as LED conversion has spread. Variable-speed drives regulate the power delivered to the motor irrespective of what arrives at their input terminals. On a site dominated by these loads, reducing the supply voltage saves very little, so claims of significant savings need to be tested carefully against the load mix.

The starting point is measurement rather than assumption. Voltage at the intake should be logged over a representative period, at half-hourly resolution or better and across several weeks, because supply voltage varies by time of day, by season and by what neighbouring sites are doing. A single spot reading at the meter tells an engineer almost nothing about what the site experiences across a working month. Alongside voltage logging sits load profiling. The assessment should establish what proportion of consumption comes from resistive loads, motors fed directly from the supply, lighting of each type and electronically regulated equipment, because that mix determines whether a voltage intervention has anything meaningful to work on. Equipment sensitivity deserves a review of its own, since some process equipment has a narrower tolerance than the statutory range and needs protection from the bottom of the range as much as the top. It is also worth checking the transformer tap settings before specifying any new equipment. Where a site owns its transformer, a tap change can bring the supply down within the statutory range at a fraction of the cost of installed optimisation equipment. Testing that option before specifying a more costly intervention should form part of the assessment. Whatever intervention is chosen, savings should be verified after installation with the same measurement discipline applied beforehand, using metered consumption rather than modelled estimates, so the client can see what changed and what did not.

Test the cheaper interventions “before specifying the expensive ones How the consultation changes the advice

The direction of travel in the ENA consultation is towards lower average voltage delivered by the networks themselves. If average operating voltage falls by around 2% as proposed, part of the benefit that site-level voltage management currently captures would, in time, arrive from the network instead, and the business case for some installations narrows accordingly. That does not eliminate the case everywhere, because network changes of this kind take years to implement and sites with a genuinely elevated supply and a favourable load mix will still see measurable benefit in the meantime. It does mean that payback calculations should be stress-tested against the possibility of a lower future supply voltage, and that long-payback installations justified on marginal savings deserve particular scrutiny now. The advice that holds regardless of the outcome is straightforward. Measure the supply before recommending anything, understand the load mix before promising anything, test the cheaper interventions before specifying the expensive ones, and size any claimed saving against what the site actually runs rather than against a headline percentage. Voltage management has a legitimate place on sites with the right characteristics, and it has been oversold on sites without them. Engineers who can tell their clients which of the two they are standing in will be worth listening to, whatever the statutory limits become.

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Commissioning & reliability

Can automation help electrical contractors stop delays before they start? Greg Edge, Managing Director at Edge Electrical Solutions, explains how better use of automation and project data can help contractors identify problems earlier, improve planning and keep increasingly complex installations on track. he electrical industry is evolving rapidly. It's essential that contractors keep pace by adapting. One way contractors can maintain sustainable growth is by adopting automation to improve planning, which in turn reduces delays through better scoping. It starts with understanding challenges from the outset. Projects are becoming more complex and, through no fault of the client, delays often begin long before installation. This is where a contractor's expertise is essential, allowing them to be agile in their approach and ensure problems are identified before they develop. Some contractors might focus on solving issues once they arise, but improving project delivery increasingly depends on capturing accurate information at the earliest opportunity. Automation and structured data are enabling contractors to improve planning, identify risks and reduce unnecessary delays. This doesn't replace the expertise of well-trained, well-versed engineers, but instead better supports decision-making from beginning to end.

Better data, better outcomes

Project delays can often be traced to a few common issues: incomplete surveys, inconsistent reports, missing photographs and scope changes, all of which can occur for several reasons. These errors can lead to extra site visits, delays, disputes and increased costs, all of which can impact client relationships and future projects. Automation can be introduced in a number of ways, such as by integrating existing AI platforms. For a more structured, tailored approach, contractors could also consider creating their own systems, such as an app. Specialist systems can provide a way to measure efficiency and track project progress, creating a single, live workflow from the engineer's initial site visit through to testing, completion and handover. Rather than information being gathered retrospectively across emails, paperwork and separate systems, site reports, risk assessments, test results and photographic evidence can be captured throughout the process in one place. This can streamline the process by giving a team better visibility and, most importantly, helping to identify gaps in scope or potential issues while the engineer is still on site. Developing systems specific to an organisation can also help ensure that the technology reflects the way its teams actually work.

For us, automation guides engineers throughout the process, such as by providing examples of expected photographs and identifying blurred or unusable images before submission. This supports the next engineer by ensuring they have the correct materials to complete the next task. This helps prevent incomplete handover packs and avoids revisits caused by missing information. Better evidence also supports clearer scoping, more accurate planning and a stronger record of exactly what has been completed to date.

Maintaining high standards through data-driven insights

With a team of contractors working across one project, it's paramount that the service delivered is a reflection of the entire business. Service standards cannot depend solely on an individual manually checking every job; this is where automation can become an integral part of the process. Automation aids consistency, while data identifies where delays, defects or recurring scope issues are arising. Consistent data can identify trends, improve estimating, help to benchmark performance and improve compliance. Contractors can intervene earlier and pinpoint areas where further training is needed, enabling continuous improvement in project delivery based on evidence rather than assumptions. This doesn't replace the technical judgement of engineers, but instead provides data-driven insights to support their decisions.

Powering the future of electrical installation

As the industry evolves, electrical contractors are being asked to deliver increasingly complex programmes more quickly, with greater requirements around compliance, traceability and cost control. Introducing automation allows contractors to scale without necessarily increasing the time spent on administration. It can also support functions such as future estimating, planning, technical scoping and quality control. The information contractors collect today builds a foundation for the future. Predictive reporting and AI-assisted quality checks could help the industry move from reacting to problems to preventing them.

The lasting value of automation

In practice, automation tools can provide clear benefits for teams and project delivery. Contractors that improve the quality of project data at the point of delivery will be better positioned to improve planning, reduce delays and deliver stronger outcomes. Advanced technology alone is not the solution. Success comes from combining the expertise of engineers with reliable and consistent information, so every individual is prepared from day one. Automation also makes it easier to maintain accountability across every stage of a project. Contractors can track who completed each task, when it was finished and what information was captured along the way. This not only improves transparency, but also helps teams resolve issues efficiently and maintain consistent standards across every site.

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The real test of EV charging begins after handover Installing and commissioning EV chargers may satisfy the immediate brief, but Harry Capewell, Director at EVFM, argues that the real challenge is creating infrastructure that can evolve with residents and their changing charging needs.

8 Electrical Review | H2 2026

EV charging infrastructure

V charging on new apartment developments is still too often treated as something that needs to be installed, commissioned and signed off – once the project reaches practical completion, the job is considered done. The problem is that the charging network then has to live with the building, so, in reality, the installation is just the first piece of the jigsaw. Part S compliance – which sets requirements around EV charge point provision and cable routes for new residential buildings with associated parking – has moved the issue further up the agenda, and developers now have to address EV charging infrastructure as part of the design and construction process. However, compliance is really only a starting point. A development can meet the requirements at completion and still be left with a network that becomes expensive or disruptive to expand and manage as resident demand changes over time. That is why the design question needs to be broader than, "What do we need today?" It should really ask, "What could this building need over time?" There is no single or set answer here: a city-centre apartment block with limited parking will have a different charging profile from a larger development where most homes have allocated spaces. EV adoption will develop at different rates too, so specifying for the future is not the same as assuming every parking bay needs a charger on day one. Residential charging has a persistent chicken-and-egg problem. Do you build the infrastructure and assume demand will follow, or wait until residents ask for it?

Future-proofing should not mean “filling a car park with chargers Installing far more equipment than needed creates unnecessary upfront cost, while waiting can leave residents without a practical route to charging. The best approach is to make sure the underlying infrastructure can grow in line with demand. That starts with power. Available electrical capacity and the way it is managed have a direct bearing on what can be delivered now and later. Load management can make a significant difference where capacity is constrained, but it can also help avoid overengineering where a more intelligent design would do the job. The same thinking should apply to distribution. If future chargers are likely to be added, cable routes, distribution equipment and the overall architecture need to allow for that. Adding capacity to an occupied building can be far more difficult than providing for it during construction, as finished areas may need to be reopened, new cable routes installed or distribution equipment changed. That does not mean existing developments are a lost cause. In retrofit work, there are often buildings where enough underlying infrastructure already exists to support some EV charging. The challenge is working with what is there without creating a system that becomes fragmented as more residents make the switch. Connectivity can also be underestimated – charging networks depend on reliable communications for monitoring, billing and ongoing management. Basement and multi-storey car parks are not always friendly

environments for mobile or data connectivity, so this needs to be considered as infrastructure in its own right. It is much easier to solve at the design stage than after chargers have been installed in an area with unreliable coverage. Then comes the issue that is often less visible during construction: what happens after handover. Once residents move in, the charging network becomes an operational system. Electricity has to be measured and billed, chargers need monitoring and maintenance, and faults need resolving. Residents need someone to contact when something does not work – it might sound obvious, but responsibility is so often left vague. Situations still arise where a charging network has effectively been ignored after the construction project finishes. Power continues to be supplied, but the cost is absorbed within the wider building or service charge rather than clearly attributed to the people using the chargers. While EV use remains relatively low, that can go unnoticed, but as uptake increases and electricity costs become more visible, residents are likely to start asking how those costs are being allocated. This is where the whole-life cost matters more than the lowest installation price. The development model does not always make that easy. If a developer intends to sell the building, there is an obvious temptation to focus on what is needed to reach completion. Regulation has helped bring EV charging further into the design conversation, but it cannot decide the best long-term operating model for each site. Early involvement from both developers and managing agents can make a major difference. The people who will ultimately be responsible for the building need a voice in decisions about how the charging network will be operated, expanded and paid for. Future-proofing should not mean filling a car park with chargers before there is demand for them. It means getting the backbone right: power, distribution, connectivity and a clear management model, with a practical route to add chargers economically as residents need them. Apartment EV charging should be treated like other permanent building infrastructure: practical completion is an important milestone, but it is not the end point. The better specification is the one that still works for the building, its managing agent and its residents ten or twenty years later.

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SPECIAL 6-PAGE SPONSORED FEATURE

Engineering the UK's essential infrastructure As the UK's critical infrastructure faces a period of unprecedented change, leading multi-technical engineering services provider Ipsum Group is bringing together specialist engineering expertise, technology and integrated delivery to help customers build utility networks that are safer, smarter and more resilient.

The infrastructure on which modern life depends is entering a new era. Electricity networks must accommodate electrification, renewable generation and growing demand. Water companies face ageing assets, environmental pressures and major investment programmes. Across both sectors, Net Zero is accelerating change while the technical skills needed to deliver it remain finite. Against this backdrop, Ipsum Group has built a distinctive proposition: not simply an engineering services contractor, but a strategic partner for the infrastructure that matters most. Today, Ipsum brings together more than 1,500 engineering, technical and support professionals operating from more than 40 locations across the UK. Its customers span public networks and private networks, including power, water,

10 Electrical Review | H2 2026

industrial infrastructure, public-sector infrastructure and critical private-sector assets. More than 4,000 customers trust the Group with their critical infrastructure.

From specialist businesses to one integrated platform

Ipsum's story began in 2017, when five specialist businesses came together, with a strategy to combine deep domain expertise with a broader, integrated service offering. The Group's development has been rapid. CALM joined in 2017, followed by SPEC, EEG and Stormport in 2019 and MMC in 2021. OTL and UES became part of the group in 2023. Expansion accelerated in 2024 and 2025 with Geraghty Ltd, SES Training, Matrix Power, Wootton & Wootton, Aquaflow, RJ Power, Core Controls and Parco, followed in 2026

by CountyClean Group, NPB, Wilkinson Environmental, Rosh Engineering, twoH and ExcelCS and Energypeople. What makes this approach valuable is not simply the number of businesses involved - it is the capability created when their expertise can be deployed collectively. Historically, infrastructure owners have often procured different disciplines from different suppliers: civil engineering from one contractor, electrical engineering from another, automation and SCADA from another and maintenance and emergency response from yet another. As programmes become more complex, that model creates interfaces, coordination challenges and additional risk. Ipsum's platform is designed to reduce those interfaces. Customers can access multiple technical disciplines through

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one integrated partner, from design and construction through to maintenance, refurbishment, renewal and optimisation.

Power: Engineering the energy transition

Power is at the heart of the UK's transition to a lower-carbon economy, but electrification creates its own infrastructure challenge. Grid reinforcement, new connections, ageing asset replacement, distributed generation, EV infrastructure and increasing network complexity all require specialist expertise. Ipsum's power capability spans high-and low-voltage systems, network design and connections, installation, commissioning, testing, maintenance and asset replacement, alongside overhead lines, transmission and distribution, transformer expertise, EV infrastructure, controls and automation. Together, these capabilities allow Ipsum to support customers across the power infrastructure lifecycle as connection and grid reinforcement programmes accelerate. It is already being demonstrated in major projects. RJ Power delivered the replacement of two cast-resin transformers at London's Royal Opera House. Ipsum's Major Projects Division delivered a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project at Rusholme for Tesla, while its DNO teams work on infrastructure for SP Electricity North West and other leading network operators. The capability increasingly crosses traditional sector boundaries. In 2026, an Ipsum Group company was awarded an HV project for Thames Water involving the design and construction of cable diversions in Cricklewood, combining electrical engineering with civils and turnkey ICP delivery.

Water: From network to treatment and everything in between If power is being transformed by electrification, water faces an equally fundamental challenge: maintaining resilient, compliant networks while replacing ageing infrastructure, reducing leakage and environmental impact and delivering major investment programmes. Ipsum's water capability encompasses civil engineering, specialist maintenance, environmental services, pipeline and network services, pumping, water and wastewater treatment, rehabilitation and renewal, leak detection, network

monitoring, drainage, commissioning and emergency response. The Group's expanding portfolio reflects this breadth. Aquaflow has strengthened its London and Home Counties capability in plumbing, drainage, CCTV surveying, re-lining, vacuum tankering, excavation and pump services. CountyClean has added liquid waste collection, treatment and disposal, while Wilkinson Environmental brings further civil engineering, drainage and sewer expertise. TwoH adds commissioning equipment, technology and training, while ExcelCS specialises in clean-water commissioning and pipelaying. NPB Utilities adds water mains, leak detection, drainage, CCTV, groundworks, civil engineering and 24/7 emergency response. That breadth allows Ipsum to engage across the asset lifecycle - whether responding to an immediate operational problem, delivering a capital project or helping optimise an existing network. For water companies driving forward AMP8 and looking towards AMP9, combining specialist capability, responsive delivery and long-term asset knowledge will become increasingly important.

Technology that supports engineering – not replaces it

Technology is a critical part of Ipsum's proposition, but the company sees it as an enabler of engineering expertise rather than a substitute for it. Controls and automation are now a dedicated capability through Core Controls with experience across renewable energy, tunnels and airports. Technology-led water capabilities include leak detection, network monitoring and specialist commissioning technology, while twoH owns and operates the Pipelayer app and Tibiis logger technology. This combination of digital tools, data and specialist people can give infrastructure owners clearer information about asset condition and performance, improve decision making and programme coordination, and help reduce cost, disruption and environmental impact. Ipsum's Parco acquisition provides another example. By combining EV design, survey, installation, connection and maintenance with civils and wider Group capability, Ipsum can offer a more complete turnkey solution as demand for charging infrastructure grows.

A platform built for what comes next

Ultimately, Ipsum's proposition is about certainty. The UK's infrastructure landscape is increasingly complex, with major programmes requiring faster delivery amid growing regulatory, environmental and operational demands and scarce specialist skills. Relying on multiple suppliers will add further interfaces and complexity. Ipsum is taking a different approach: bringing complementary specialist businesses together while preserving the expertise, experience and customer relationships that made each successful. Common ways of working across safety, operational excellence, resourcing, digital systems, project delivery, procurement, commercial management, training, customer experience and performance management create the foundations for scale. The result is a platform that can deploy specialist capability nationally while retaining the technical depth of its individual businesses. That is visible in the breadth of customers Ipsum has supported, from Scottish Water, United Utilities and SP Electricity North West to UK Power Networks, the Ministry of Defence, Sainsbury's, Tesla, Heathrow and the Royal Opera House. For those customers, the attraction is not simply access to more services. It is having a partner capable of understanding how those services connect. That matters because the UK's infrastructure challenge is no longer neatly divided into disciplines. Power, water, civils, controls, data, maintenance and environmental performance increasingly intersect. Ipsum was created to bridge those boundaries. Eight years after its inception, Ipsum has evolved into a national multi-technical services platform with the scale and specialist expertise to support complex infrastructure programmes. As the UK enters a period of sustained investment in resilience, electrification, Net Zero and water infrastructure, Ipsum's ability to bring these capabilities together will prove increasingly valuable - helping customers move from managing individual projects to optimising the performance of the critical networks on which the country depends.

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From first design to future performance must be understood from the outset. As storage becomes central to balancing renewable generation and supporting network flexibility, early stage design expertise is critical to ensuring projects are deliverable, connectable and future-ready.

Design that connects to delivery

Design The right design is where resilient infrastructure begins Every successful infrastructure project starts with a clear understanding of what is required – and a design that turns that understanding into a practical, deliverable solution. For Ipsum, design is not simply the production of drawings or specifications. It is the point at which engineering expertise, operational experience and an understanding of the customer's objectives come together to create infrastructure that is safe, efficient, resilient and built for the future. Through Energypeople, Ipsum has strengthened its design capability with a team of experienced power-sector engineers, designers and consultants who bring practical knowledge of electricity infrastructure from feasibility and specification through to design, build, operation and maintenance. Energypeople operates across the UK and internationally, combining technical engineering expertise with a strong understanding of the commercial and regulatory environment in which energy infrastructure operates.

12 Electrical Review | H2 2026

From concept to connection

Energypeople's design team provides endto-end grid and substation design support, from initial feasibility through to detailed design and owner's engineer assistance. Its capabilities include grid connection feasibility and design, technical specifications, primary and secondary substation design, electrical network design, protection and earthing design, and power system studies. The team has extensive experience across distribution networks at voltages up to 132kV. That experience spans a diverse range of energy infrastructure, including renewable generation, battery storage, solar, wind, energy-from-waste and demand projects. The result is a design capability informed not just by theory, but by real-world understanding of how electricity networks are planned, delivered and operated. This is particularly important for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), where grid connection strategy, protection, earthing and compliance considerations

The real advantage comes when design and delivery work as one. Ipsum's wider engineering capability means that designs can be developed with construction, commissioning, maintenance and whole-life performance in mind. Rather than designing in isolation, Ipsum can draw on specialist expertise across electrical, mechanical, civil, HV/LV, controls and automation, water and infrastructure services. For customers, that can mean fewer interfaces, clearer accountability and a smoother transition from design into delivery. It is an approach particularly suited to today's infrastructure environment. Grid reinforcement, new connections, electrification and renewable generation and BESS are increasing demand for specialist design expertise at exactly the time when those skills are in short supply. Energypeople adds further depth to Ipsum's existing power engineering platform, while its advisory and design teams work closely together to combine technical excellence with strategic insight.

Engineering with the end in mind

Good design should do more than satisfy a specification. It should anticipate the realities of construction, operation and maintenance. That is why Ipsum's approach is built around practical engineering, collaboration and whole-life thinking. From feasibility to detailed design. From connection to commissioning. From today's requirements to tomorrow's network. Ipsum brings the specialist people, engineering knowledge and integrated capabilities needed to design infrastructure with confidence.

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infrastructure. Safety and quality remain fundamental, while specialist project teams coordinate resources, supply chains, engineering disciplines and customer requirements. The objective is simple: make complex delivery easier for the customer. Where multiple disciplines are required, Ipsum can bring those capabilities together under a single delivery model. Where a specialist intervention is required, customers can access the depth of expertise of the individual businesses within the Group. That combination of scale and specialism is increasingly important as infrastructure investment accelerates.

Delivery

Powering the transition

Bringing specialist expertise together Critical infrastructure rarely fits neatly into a single discipline. A power connection might require electrical engineering, civils, cable installation, protection, commissioning and testing. A water project can involve pipelines, pumping, treatment, environmental services and specialist maintenance. Increasingly, customers need those disciplines to work together – seamlessly and safely. That is where Ipsum's integrated delivery model makes a difference. With more than 1,500 engineering and infrastructure specialists and more than 40 operational locations across the UK, Ipsum brings together the technical expertise, resources and national reach needed to deliver complex infrastructure programmes. Ipsum delivers across the full infrastructure lifecycle, combining specialist businesses and technical teams to provide an integrated service rather than a collection of disconnected disciplines. In power, that includes LV, HV and EHV networks, substations, overhead lines, cabling, jointing, grid

connections, commissioning, testing and refurbishment. Ipsum is also a national NERS-accredited Independent Connection Provider, delivering grid connection solutions up to 132kV. In water, the Group provides pipeline and network services, pumping and pump stations, water and wastewater treatment, rehabilitation and renewal, drainage, leak detection, environmental services and specialist asset maintenance. Its regulated water offering is designed to help customers build network resilience while managing critical water services efficiently and sustainably. Beyond power and water, Ipsum's wider infrastructure capability encompasses civil engineering, highways and specialist environmental services.

From project to programme

This breadth allows Ipsum to support customers at different scales – from individual projects and emergency interventions to major capital programmes and long-term frameworks. The delivery model is designed around the realities of working on critical

Ipsum is already delivering the infrastructure required to support the UK's changing energy landscape, from renewable energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to grid connections, network reinforcement and private power networks. Its turnkey approach can encompass design, construction, testing, connection and commissioning, giving customers a route from project concept to operational asset through one integrated partner. The same principle applies in water, where customers face major investment requirements alongside the need to improve resilience, reduce leakage, protect the environment and maintain service continuity.

Built around the customer

Integration is not simply about putting capabilities under one roof. It is about making them work together. Ipsum combines specialist engineering knowledge with common approaches to safety, project delivery, procurement, commercial management, digital systems, people development and performance management. The result is a delivery partner with the scale to mobilise, the expertise to solve and the experience to deliver. One partner. Multiple disciplines. Integrated delivery.

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cable jointing, testing, diagnostics, connections, refurbishment and maintenance. The emphasis is on identifying potential problems before they become failures. Inspections can cover transformers, switchgear, circuit breakers, protection systems, earthing, battery systems and other critical assets, supported by reporting, risk assessment and recommended corrective actions.

Protecting every drop

Maintenance Keeping critical infrastructure working For critical infrastructure operators, maintenance is not an optional extra. It is fundamental to resilience. The cost of an asset failure can extend far beyond the repair itself – affecting customers, operations, safety, regulatory performance and reputation. The most effective maintenance strategies therefore look beyond fixing problems when they occur. They identify risk early, understand asset condition and intervene before failure becomes disruption. That is the approach Ipsum brings to maintenance. Across power, water and wider infrastructure, Ipsum provides planned, preventative, specialist and reactive maintenance designed to keep essential assets operating safely, efficiently and reliably.

Proactive by design

In power, Ipsum maintains LV, HV and EHV infrastructure, supporting customers with inspection, testing, diagnostics, refurbishment, cable jointing, asset monitoring and emergency response. This capability also extends to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), an increasingly

14 Electrical Review | H2 2026

important part of the UK's evolving energy infrastructure. As battery storage becomes more widely deployed across grid-scale, commercial and industrial applications, maintaining these systems is critical to protecting performance and asset life. Ipsum's wider electrical engineering and maintenance capabilities can support the infrastructure surrounding BESS installations, helping customers identify potential issues and maintain system reliability. For private networks alone, Ipsum provides HV/LV asset maintenance and annual inspection services to more than 2,500 UK private network owners, including customers across utilities, retail, manufacturing, food and beverage, industry and defence. Its teams can act as a client's dedicated authorised person, providing planned preventative maintenance and recommendations for asset upgrades and refurbishment. For regulated power networks, the Group's planned maintenance capability includes electrical distribution systems and associated assets, with services covering EHV/HV/LV infrastructure,

In water, maintenance takes an equally comprehensive approach. Ipsum provides planned and reactive services across water and wastewater infrastructure, including pumps, valves, screens, flow meters, kiosks, chambers and other network assets. CCTV surveys can identify defects, blockages and deformation, while specialist teams provide emergency response to pump failures, burst pipes, blockages, pollution risks and other incidents. The Group also provides rehabilitation, lining, patching, civils, installation and specialist drainage services, helping customers extend asset life while reducing disruption.

When the unexpected happens

Even the best maintenance strategy can't eliminate every incident. When failures do occur, response time matters. Ipsum provides emergency and reactive services across its infrastructure portfolio, with national capability and specialist teams able to respond to critical incidents. In water, this includes 24/7 emergency response; across infrastructure, Ipsum also supports highways and other critical networks with planned and reactive maintenance.

Maintenance that creates long-term value

The objective is not simply to keep an asset running today. It is to understand how it can perform better for longer. By combining inspection, maintenance, refurbishment, data and specialist engineering, Ipsum helps customers make informed decisions about where to intervene, where to invest and where to extend asset life. Protecting performance. Reducing risk. Extending asset life.

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Projects include control and automation work at Heathrow's Main Tunnel, the Blackwall Tunnel and the Brynglas Tunnel, demonstrating the ability to operate in environments where reliability, resilience and safety are non-negotiable. The business has also delivered tunnel communication and integration work for Costain, with the project recognised for quality and performance by the Welsh Government.

Optimisation doesn't stop at handover

Optimisation Turning infrastructure into intelligent infrastructure Infrastructure is becoming more connected, more automated and more data driven. But collecting data is only the beginning. The real opportunity lies in turning that information into better decisions, better performance and more resilient operations. Through Core Controls, Ipsum brings specialist expertise in control, automation and systems integration to some of the UK's most complex and operationally critical environments. Core Controls describes itself as a pioneer in the integration, control and automation of complex infrastructure. Its engineers design, build, install and maintain systems that connect physical infrastructure with the technology required to monitor, control and optimise it.

From control panel to complete system

Core Controls' capability spans the complete control and automation lifecycle. Its engineers design electrical control systems including Form 4 control panels, SCADA, PLC, MCC, LV switchgear, power distribution and remote telemetry units. The business also provides system integration, design and consultation, support and maintenance. At the design stage, Core Controls develops a detailed Functional Design Specification based on the customer's

requirements. This can define the control philosophy, hardware, SCADA architecture, screen layouts, alarms, trending and reporting, network architecture, process diagrams and other elements required to create an integrated control solution. That detail matters in environments where systems need to work together reliably – often within live, safety-critical infrastructure.

Making complexity manageable

Modern infrastructure can contain multiple systems, technologies and suppliers – all of which need to communicate effectively. Core Controls' systems integration capability helps bring those components together into a coherent operating environment. This is increasingly important within the power sector as technologies such as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) become a more significant part of the energy landscape, requiring multiple electrical, control, monitoring and communication systems to work together effectively. By integrating these different systems, operators can gain greater visibility and control over asset performance, helping BESS sites operate safely, reliably and efficiently. Its experience spans complex infrastructure including tunnels, highways, transport corridors and energy systems.

A system is only valuable if it continues to perform. Core Controls provides ongoing support and maintenance to keep systems in peak condition, deploy updates and respond as customer requirements evolve. Its engineers and consultants work alongside customer teams, providing continuing technical knowledge and helping improve operational efficiency. That lifecycle approach aligns directly with Ipsum's wider philosophy: infrastructure should not simply be delivered and left to operate. It should be understood, monitored, maintained and continually improved.

Technology with engineering behind it

The future of critical infrastructure will depend increasingly on automation, digitalisation and intelligent asset management. But technology alone does not deliver resilience. It takes engineers who understand the physical infrastructure, the operational environment and the consequences of failure. By combining Core Controls' specialist automation expertise with Ipsum's wider engineering, power, water, infrastructure and maintenance capabilities, customers can access a partner that understands both the technology and the infrastructure it controls. Connect. Control. Integrate. Optimise. Because smarter infrastructure is not simply about having more technology. It is about making technology work harder for the people and assets that depend on it.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 15

Is grid connections reform finally fixing Britain's queue problem? With hundreds of gigawatts removed from the connections queue and viable projects being brought forward, Laura Henry, Director of Regulation, Policy and External Affairs at Eclipse Power, explores what the reforms mean for those still trying to get connected.

or much of the last decade, grid connections in Great Britain have been defined by a fast-growing queue. As the situation worsened, the type of projects that once connected in under a year could find themselves waiting for the better part of a decade, stuck in a pipeline that had long outgrown the process built to handle it. Over the last four years, connections reform under the CMP434 and CMP435 Code Modifications has been the response from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) – the most significant overhaul of the process in a generation. The standard queue approach that connections reform replaces was written for a different era, when NESO might have seen only a handful of large applications a year. As the energy transition has accelerated, the queue has lengthened, and viable, ready-to-build projects have found themselves sitting behind speculative ones with no realistic route to delivery. The purpose of these reforms – which have focused on generation and transmission-connected demand only – is to sort the queue by deliverability rather than by application date: a shift from first come, first served to first ready and needed, first connected. The transmission queue was on a path where new connection offer dates for generation and demand were extending late into the 2030s. However, the reforms have reduced the volume of projects occupying the queue by more than 300 GW and, with it, have brought forward average connection dates by six years for those projects that are able to advance. Now that the first offers under the reformed process are going out, what does this actually change for a project trying to get connected?

16 Electrical Review | H2 2026

Grid & connections

The shift to readiness

One of the main filters that's been used to refine the lengthy connections queue is the introduction of a readiness test. This determines whether a project is genuinely progressing – for example, whether land rights are secured and planning is advancing. This is good news for developers who have done that groundwork: in theory, it should have cleared out any projects ahead of them that weren't realistically able to be built in the same timeframe. Alongside this are the existing milestones that projects must meet for their application to progress. Missing these carries consequences through the Queue Management mechanism. New Code Modifications add to the existing queue management processes. Under CMP448, for example, NESO can optionally activate a progression commitment fee for projects that have accepted a Gate 2 contract but haven't reached the M1 milestone. It will apply the fee once a cumulative 6.5 GW of 'stalled' capacity leaves the queue. The fee is a security that generation developers post – it's calculated by MW allocated, and the cost increases every six months, so effectively, the longer you're in the queue, the bigger the security you have to provide. This is another reason why project developers must properly plan their supply chain, financing and internal approvals from the outset. A milestone missed for want of preparation is now a materially more expensive mistake than it once was. The logic of these reforms is sound: higher commitments deter speculative applications or the oversubscription of a specific technology, and the securities fall away once a project connects. However, there is a disproportionate consequence for smaller developers. Larger, well-capitalised businesses can absorb these costs, but this is harder for developers at the smaller end of the market. For this reason, it's vital they're factored into the financing from the outset. Smaller developers have not been wholly without benefit, however. CMP446 has increased the threshold at which a transmission impact assessment is triggered. By raising it from 1 MW to 5 MW for export capacity connected to local distribution networks, the amendment gives projects such as small-scale renewables, battery storage and community energy projects several in-principle benefits, including faster energisation dates and the elimination of transmission reinforcement liability costs.

Considering accountability

One issue that supply-side connections reform hasn't yet fully resolved is the balance of accountability when dates slip. A customer who misses a milestone can face significant consequences, up to and including the loss of their place in the queue. Yet when a network operator moves a connection date, the customer has far less recourse, despite the often severe commercial impacts. This asymmetry of risk is now firmly on the agenda and is being examined under the Connections Process End-to-End Review. Ofgem is minded to strengthen the Guaranteed Standards of Performance regime for distribution network operators (DNOs) and transmission owners, and to explore damages where target energisation dates are missed.

In addition to connections reform, it's long been clear within the industry that we also need a process to address demand-side projects, for which the queue is following much the same path of oversubscription and speculation. The demand queue grew from 41 GW in November 2024 to 125 GW in June 2025; 80 GW of that demand has been driven by data centre projects, of which a large share are speculative. Ofgem is now looking to address this through its Demand Connections Reform programme, launched via a Call for Input in February 2026. Led also by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the three-pillar framework is designed to address the rapid influx of speculative demand-side applications and align assigned capacity with strategic UK policy and growth aims. Its first pillar – Curate – focuses on tighter financial and readiness tests aimed at filtering out speculative applications. The Plan and Connect pillars ensure strategic demand projects, such as EV charging hubs or data centres within AI Growth Zones, are prioritised and expedited through alternative routes to construction. In short, the demand side is now following the same reform path the supply side has just travelled. There are active workgroups and regular consultations for each of the pillars.

The date of a connection offer “shouldn't be treated as a guarantee A call for realistic contingency

Taking all this into account, it's clear that the date of a connection offer shouldn't be treated as a guarantee. Early project planning and an understanding of industry change are becoming increasingly important. The pace of change around grid connections is as remarkable as the demands being put on the system by today's generation, storage, residential, commercial and data centre projects. That makes an up-to-date understanding of the connections process increasingly important – not only the changes that have already been made, but the growing number of further reforms in the pipeline. For developers, that means doing the groundwork on land rights and planning, understanding whether a technology type is regionally oversubscribed, meeting milestone dates and factoring the cost of securities into the financing case from the start. Get those elements right, and the reforms should be better placed to achieve what they were designed to do: move viable, deliverable projects through the connections process.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 17

SPONSORED FEATURE

A new generation of battery storage

The new Sunsynk battery portfolio covers a wide range of applications, from residential energy storage to larger commercial and industrial systems. The Y Series LV battery provides a scalable solution from 12kWh to 0.5MWh, with the choice of floor or wall-mounted installation. The battery has an IP65 rating for outdoor installation and incorporates integrated battery heating to support yearround 1C charge & discharge. For those looking to scale with existing equipment, the Y Series is also cross-compatible with Sunsynk G, L and W series batteries, giving installers greater flexibility. For larger energy storage applications, the Powerstack Ultra offers scalability from 17.28kWh to 1.2MWh. Designed with installation speed and simplicity in mind, the system uses a plug-and-play, cablefree design that does not require typical racking systems, enabling simple easy battery stacking. The Powerstack Ultra has an IP66 rating for outdoor installation and has enhanced safety features such as integrated fire suppression. The new system design now has enhanced self-balancing technology, designed to support efficient and reliable performance, and includes integrated battery heating for year-round charge & discharge. The Powerstack Ultra is also HV compatible, providing additional flexibility, and can be installed in as little as 10 minutes. At the larger end of the new battery portfolio is the Powerstack XL, designed for larger commercial and industrial applications, this system is scalable from 80kWh to 4.1MWh. Like the others, the Powerstack XL also includes integrated fire suppression and is designed for straightforward installation and connectivity, with no racking required, providing a simple installation.

The evolution of Sunsynk hybrid inverters

Leading the new inverter range is the Gen 6 Hybrid Inverter, which replaces Sunsynk's existing ECCO and Acure range with a more compact, lightweight and higher-performing solution for residential applications. At 33.7% lighter and 30% smaller than the classic ECCO range, Gen 6 has been designed to make installation easier whilst delivering increased performance. The inverter supports 7-12kW single-phase systems and features three MPPTs,

providing greater flexibility when designing solar PV systems. The Gen 6 also incorporates an integrated gateway with up to 70A bypass current and a 4ms UPS switch-over, helping to keep critical loads powered continuously. Efficiency has also increased to 97.6%, while an increased string PV current of 18A enables the inverter to support higher-powered solar panels. The inverter offering expands even further with the new HV Compact Hybrid inverter, designed to deliver greater system capacity within a space-saving footprint. Up to 10 units can be connected in parallel. Providing installers with greater flexibility to scale, whilst 200% PV oversizing allows solar generation to be maximised. At the higher end of the range, the new 125kW HV hybrid inverter brings 20 string inputs, dual battery connections and support for 200% PV oversizing, designed to provide greater flexibility when configuring large solar and storage systems.

4ms UPS switch-over and AC coupling, Sunsynk Go is designed to provide a flexible solution that can be integrated into existing systems whilst its portable design enables stored power to be used whenever needed.

Innovative All-In-One Solutions

Sunsynk now have a brand-new installer loyalty program, Sunsynk Rewards, built to recognise and reward installers for choosing and installing Sunsynk. The web-based platform enables installers to earn points based on the equipment they install. For every 1kW/kWh of battery or inverter capacity installed, installers can earn 10 points which is equivalent to £1, providing a direct reward for simply installing Sunsynk! Points can be redeemed in gift vouchers through 100s of the UK's favourite brands, from lifestyle, fashion, tools and equipment, sports, and more, installers can choose how they spend their rewards.

Leading Sunsynk's all-in-one offering is Elite Max, the next evolution of the existing Elite system launched earlier this year. Designed to build on the flexibility and simplicity of the established all-inone solution Elite Max delivers increased capacity and enhanced features for installers looking to meet growing energy demands. Elite Max offers scalable battery capacity from 16kWh to 96kWh, with up to 6 battery modules per inverter and a maximum of two modules per stack. This allows systems to be expanded as energy requirements increase, providing installers with greater flexibility when designing and future-proofing installations. The system is built for demanding installation environments with IP66 protection and the ability to withstand submersion in up to 50cm of water for 60 minutes. The Elite Max also supports 200% PV oversizing and incorporates a built-in gateway with up to 70A, providing greater controls. Alongside the Elite Max, the all-new Sunsynk Go brings a different approach to integrated energy storage, combining a plug-and-play design with portability and scalability. The system offers capacity from 2.5kWh to 102kWh and features up to four MPPTs. With IP65 protection, a

Not just a product evolution

Alongside the new hardware portfolio, Sunsynk is also introducing it's brandnew Total Confidence Warranty offering, designed to provide installers with a simpler approach to equipment replacement and ongoing support. The warranty is built around a straightforward replacement process, with no lengthy conversations or complicated forms, the process is now quick and easy with fast equipment replacement where required to help installers minimise downtime. Total Confidence Warranty is supported by a UK-based technical assistance team, including 24/7 live chat, system checks and remote monitoring.

Rewarding installers

Discover the new Sunsynk range and see the latest products, technologies and support in action at Solar & Storage Birmingham, Hall 19, Stand A9.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 19

Why renewable energy projects need to think beyond the point of generation Getting renewable energy onto the grid requires more than generating it. Mark Froggatt, Head of Training, Learning and Development at Eland Cables, explains why medium voltage infrastructure needs to become a much earlier consideration in project design and delivery.

20 Electrical Review | H2 2026

cross the UK and wider energy markets, solar and battery storage capacity continues to grow at pace. For many projects, however, progress slows not at the point of generation, but at the point of connection. Grid constraints, extended queues and delayed energisation have become familiar features of renewables delivery, prompting closer attention to what happens between a completed site and the wider network. This is where medium voltage infrastructure comes into play. Sitting between generation assets and distribution networks, medium voltage systems translate design intent into physical reality. Choices made here influence project timelines, sequencing and long-term performance, often with consequences that only become clear once delivery is under way.

Grid & connections

In practice, challenges at this level are rarely about headline technical failure. More often, they stem from specification, routing and operating assumptions meeting real-world site conditions.

Specification under real operating conditions

Medium voltage cables are commonly specified on the basis of nominal voltage and current ratings, with limited reference to how those cables will actually be installed or loaded over time. As project designs evolve, this gap can become significant. Cable routes on solar and storage sites are often long, with varying soil conditions, different installation methods and multiple circuits running in close proximity. Together, these factors influence thermal behaviour, electrical losses and the derating assumptions used to determine current-carrying capacity. As a result, designs that appear sound on paper can require adjustment once site conditions are properly accounted for. As power density on sites increases, space becomes more constrained. Inverter stations, containerised battery units and compact substations concentrate electrical infrastructure into relatively small footprints. In these environments, cable diameter, bending radius and overall construction become practical routing considerations rather than purely theoretical specification choices. Considering these factors early makes it easier to match cable design to available space and routing constraints, reducing the need for later design adjustments.

Designs that appear sound on “paper can require adjustment once site conditions are properly accounted for Material choice and route reality

Conductor material often comes under scrutiny where cost and space constraints intersect. Copper and aluminium are the main conductor materials used for medium voltage power cables, with different implications for cable size, routing and installation. Aluminium conductors require larger cross-sectional areas to achieve equivalent current ratings, which affects overall cable size and how easily circuits can be routed. On more constrained sites, this can influence trench dimensions, containment space and pulling requirements. Copper, with its higher conductivity, allows more compact cable designs that can be advantageous where space is limited, even if the initial material cost is higher. These decisions are highly site-specific and benefit from being considered alongside route design, access arrangements and installation planning, rather than being treated as an isolated specification choice.

Environmental factors that shape cable performance

Renewable energy sites expose medium voltage cables to a broad range of environmental conditions. Variations in soil characteristics, moisture levels, ambient temperature and required mechanical protection all influence material choice and long-term performance.

Battery storage and hybrid sites add another layer of complexity through their operating profiles. Repeated charge and discharge cycles result in more frequent thermal cycling than is typical in many conventional distribution applications. While modern cable systems are designed to accommodate this, assumptions around duty cycles and loading conditions need to reflect how sites are expected to operate in practice. Aligning insulation systems, sheath materials and protective layers with the operating environment helps reduce uncertainty over cable performance across its intended service life.

Medium voltage as part of project sequencing

Medium voltage infrastructure is often perceived as passive, something that simply sits in the ground once installed. In practice, it shapes sequencing decisions throughout the project. Cable lead times, drum logistics, delivery access and installation windows all need to align with broader construction and commissioning plans. Where routes cross site boundaries or interface with third-party networks, coordination becomes even more critical. When medium voltage cables are treated purely as a procurement item late in the programme, these interactions can compress schedules and reduce flexibility. Treating them instead as part of the core delivery strategy allows sequencing to be planned rather than adjusted reactively.

Designing with operational lifespan in mind

Medium voltage cables on renewable sites are expected to operate reliably for decades, often outliving the assets they connect. Decisions made at the design stage therefore have long-term consequences. Future expansion, changes in operating strategy or the addition of storage capacity can all affect loading conditions. While excessive overspecification is rarely desirable, allowing some flexibility in design can help avoid constraints on how an asset is used later on. This means understanding not just initial connection requirements, but the anticipated evolution of the site. Questions around spare capacity, parallel circuits and thermal margins are as much about risk management as they are about technical compliance.

Making the invisible visible

As grid connection pressures persist, the role of medium voltage infrastructure is coming into sharper focus. Not because it has fallen short, but because it sits at the convergence of design intention and delivery reality. For developers, consultants and contractors, the opportunity lies in bringing medium voltage considerations earlier into project thinking. It also means ensuring there is clarity around how specifications translate into site performance, and where assumptions deserve challenge. Medium voltage networks may not attract the same attention as generation technology, but they play a decisive role in determining how reliably and efficiently renewable energy reaches the grid. Paying attention to the detail at this level supports smoother delivery and more resilient assets as projects move from construction into long-term operation.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 21

Storage & resilience

Storage needs to move beyond the megawatt headline The UK has a power problem. That's a fact pretty much everyone seems to agree on. It's one of the reasons so many seem opposed to the expansion of data centres, and yet one of the solutions staring us right in the face seems to have been caught in the crosshairs.

ast month, a parliamentary petition called for a moratorium on battery energy storage systems outside designated AI Growth Zones. It was launched by a Liberal Democrat councillor from Devon, but has since received 15,000 signatures and will now get a response from the UK Government. While it's unlikely to go anywhere, it does signal a problem facing the sector – and it's one of messaging. Of course the UK shouldn't be limiting BESS construction to AI Growth Zones. Britain needs more storage – a lot more storage. The Government has set an ambition for 23 GW to 27 GW of grid-scale battery capacity by 2030, while the latest monitoring table in its Clean Flexibility Roadmap records 7.3 GW in June 2026. The problem is that the average person reading those headlines doesn't really know what any of it means. Those figures tell us how much more storage needs to be built, but much less about whether we are building the storage the system actually needs. A 100 MW battery capable of discharging at full output for one hour and one capable of doing so for four hours can carry the same 100 MW power rating, but their contribution to the system is obviously very different. That number also tells us nothing about whether an asset is built where its flexibility is most valuable or whether the system can actually make effective use of it. That matters when combating the idea that BESS should be restricted to AI Growth Zones. These are areas selected in part because they can support large new power users, so restricting storage to them raises an obvious question: why should that determine where batteries are most useful to the wider electricity system? Thankfully, Government policy is beginning to recognise the distinction. The latest Clean Flexibility Roadmap says storage's contribution is not simply determined by how much is deployed, but by how well it is used. Its monitoring framework now looks at capacity in both GW and GWh, long-duration storage and battery skip rates rather than installed power alone. That skip rate stood at 35% in May. It doesn't mean more than a third of battery capacity was simply sitting idle, but it does show that having storage available and making the best use of it are not the same thing. Then there's duration. Ofgem's current proposals for the first Long Duration Electricity

22 Electrical Review | H2 2026

Storage cap-and-floor window cover 16 projects totalling 7.6 GW and 137 GWh across several technologies. That mix matters. We're increasingly using the word 'storage' to describe assets capable of doing very different jobs over very different periods of time. Simply adding them together and celebrating another few gigawatts doesn't tell us whether we have the right mix. And that brings us back to the petition. AI Growth Zones were never intended to dictate where grid-scale storage should be built. Storage needs to be located where it can provide value to the electricity system, whether that means making better use of renewable generation, relieving constraints or helping balance supply and demand. But simply telling communities that another 200 MW battery is good for the grid probably isn't going to win many people over either. That's where the storage sector has some work to do. Developers will continue to announce projects in megawatts, and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. It's an easy way of communicating scale and an important measure of what a battery can deliver at any one moment. But we need to get better at explaining what sits behind that number. How long can the battery provide that output? Why does it need to be built there? Is it helping make better use of renewable generation that might otherwise be constrained? What does it allow the grid to do that it couldn't do without it? Those answers matter far more to the average person than whether Britain has installed another gigawatt of battery capacity. They should matter to the industry too. Reaching 23 GW or 27 GW by 2030 would undoubtedly be an achievement, but it shouldn't become the only measure of success. We could hit the headline figure and still end up with storage in the wrong places, providing the wrong duration or simply not being used as effectively as it could be. The UK doesn't just need more batteries. It needs the right storage, in the right places, doing the jobs the electricity system actually needs. And if the sector wants communities to understand why those projects are being built in the first place, it needs to get much better at explaining that too.

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