The path to net zero has to take a whole-system approach [Opinion first person]

There are huge changes coming for electricity networks. Electric vehicles, electrified heating and renewables will be key factors in taking us on the path toward a net-zero-carbon future. But these new demands and sources of energy will have a huge impact on networks. One obvious solution to decarbonising energy is to use more of what we're already familiar with: electricity. But electrifying everything would create an enormous additional load on an already burdened network. As distribution network operators become distribution system operators, the paper argues that they need to apply a collaborative approach with gas networks to ensure they can cope with the upswing and avoid blackouts. A whole-system approach, whereby behaviours and interactions between different parts of the system are combined effectively to produce a desired outcome, is necessary if we are to mitigate the costs of updating electricity network capacity. The role of hydrogen is discussed in particular, especially in relation to intraseasonal storage, road vehicles and domestic hydrogen fuel cells.