Energy Transition Initiative of the Year: Projects and Systems
Winner:
SP Energy Networks
Rewiring Britain: Upgrading the Grid for a New Energy Future
SP Energy Networks won edie’s Energy Transition Initiative of the Year: Projects and Systems Award for its RIIO-T3 transmission business plan, a programme to upgrade the grid so that clean power can be moved at the scale and pace required for Clean Power 2030 and longer-term net-zero ambitions.
The challenge
No grid upgrade, no clean power. As the transmission network owner for central and southern Scotland, SPEN sits at the heart of the GB energy transition, linking Scotland’s renewable resource with wider GB demand. Rapid growth in renewable generation, rising electricity demand – forecast to double by 2050 – and increasing requirements for bulk power transfer mean that, without transmission investment at scale, renewable electricity will be constrained, slowing decarbonisation and increasing long-term system costs.
The challenge is doing this quickly, efficiently and at scale, amid pressures from planning timelines, supply chain constraints, connections reform and increasing climate, physical and cyber risks.
The solution
The RIIO-T3 strategy was built through technical modelling, economic analysis, Future Energy Scenarios and coordinated planning across the wider GB system and SP Distribution network. It was shaped by engagement with the UK and Scottish Governments, Ofgem, NESO, renewable developers, local authorities, consumer and community groups, environmental organisations, supply chain partners and other transmission owners, alongside independent scrutiny from SPEN’s Independent Net Zero Advisory Council (INZAC).
Taking a whole-system approach linking transmission and distribution, the programme prioritises access to clean, homegrown electricity by expanding capacity, reducing constraints and strengthening energy security. It also recognises the role communities play in hosting infrastructure, with SPEN using an online consultation and targeted focus groups to shape its community benefit funding proposal.
How the project works
RIIO-T3 is a long-term transformation programme, managed against phased milestones, governance controls and costed investment plans. SPEN’s approach includes structured approvals, strong asset management, workforce growth, supply chain readiness and adaptive planning to maintain flexibility.
Major infrastructure is already under construction, including EGL1, the first HVDC link between Scotland and England, and the VSRE route between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Projects are moving through construction, consultation and regulatory approval, with Ofgem funding secured for the TKUP and DWNO projects. The wider £12bn investment programme includes 12 new substations, more than 570km of upgraded or new transmission lines and major supply chain activity, reshaping a network of around 4,300km of lines and cables.
The results
SPEN’s business plan received the highest Ofgem score across all RIIO-3 gas and electricity transmission submissions, alongside the top incentive score among electricity transmission owners.
The programme will triple investment in the network and enable around 19GW of new connections – doubling clean power connections – while supporting the transfer of over 11GW of power, avoiding approximately £4.9bn in constraint costs by 2030 and delivering annual customer savings of more than £167.
Independent analysis from the University of Strathclyde’s Centre for Energy Policy suggests the plan could generate up to £2bn in annual UK GDP uplift, support around 11,459 jobs and deliver more than £150m in community benefit funding for communities hosting transmission infrastructure. The workforce boost is already visible, with more than 4,000 applications for 120 SPEN apprenticeship roles.
At a glance
Who: SP Energy Networks (SPEN)
What: The RIIO-T3 Transmission Business Plan
Where: Scotland
Why: To make clean power reliable, affordable and available at the scale homes, businesses and the GB economy demand
When: 2026-2031
Runners up
Fife College & SGN
Hydrogen Pioneers: Creating the UK’s First Hydrogen Skills Pathway for Net Zero
Fife College and SGN have established a hydrogen training and assessment centre for Gas Safe registered engineers, created to supply the workforce needed for H100 Fife, a green hydrogen network supplying homes with hydrogen for heating and cooking. Rather than waiting for standards to be finalised, the partners worked with DESNZ, the Health and Safety Executive, Gas Safe Register, IGEM, BPEC and Energy & Utility Skills to build a qualification aligned to the Government's Hy4Heat training specification. Manufacturers including Baxi and Worcester Bosch helped design the practical learning environment. More than 100 engineers, managers and technical specialists have been trained.
Lidl GB
Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind PPA
Lidl GB has signed a corporate power purchase agreement securing 100GWh of electricity a year from the Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm off the North Wales coast, moving beyond green tariff certificates to a direct contract with a generator. The agreement, developed over 27 months by an in-house energy team and signed in April 2025, was folded into the retailer's 2023 electricity supply tender so conventional suppliers had to compete with direct renewable generation. The volume exceeds the 88.5GWh consumed annually by Lidl's 13 regional distribution centres and covers over 15% of national electricity use, avoiding 17.7 million kg of CO2e a year.
Nadara
UK Repowering Campaign
Nadara ran a three-month communications campaign, with FTI Consulting and Akt Creative, to raise the profile of onshore wind repowering – replacing ageing turbines with more productive modern machines on existing sites. The company argues repowering is widely misunderstood as a simple life extension rather than a means of substantially increasing output from land already connected to the grid. On a budget under £60,000, the campaign produced messaging, video, opinion pieces, infographics and a microsite. It filled a 250-capacity conference session, generated coverage in trade titles, and led to Nadara giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee.
Preston City Council
Crematoria Decarbonisation
Preston City Council, working with the North West Net Zero Hub, has produced a business case for replacing the gas cremators at its crematorium with electric equipment. The facility accounts for around 6% of the council's direct CO2 emissions, and its existing cremators require replacement by 2030/31. The study assessed technology options, grid constraints, whole-life costs, supplier maturity and service continuity, alongside solar, an air source heat pump and LED upgrades, with installation targeted by 2031. Full electrification is forecast to cut energy use by over 80% and emissions by around 95%. Technical outputs have been shared with all Net Zero Hubs.
RAW Charging
Landsec: The UK's Largest Leisure & Retail EV Charging Rollout
RAW Charging is installing electric vehicle chargers across Landsec's retail and leisure destinations under a £24.5m, 20-year agreement covering 28 sites and 1,000 bays. The rationale is that around 40% of UK households have no private parking, so charging must be available where people already spend time. RAW handles planning, grid connection, installation and maintenance, replacing outdated units with chargers matched to typical dwell times of 30 to 90 minutes, each on a new grid connection supplied with renewable electricity. Over 150 bays are live across five sites, including 32 bays at Cardigan Fields in Leeds and 16 ultra-rapid bays in Chesterfield.
SP Energy Networks
Site Welfare Energy Supplies
SP Energy Networks examined how temporary welfare cabins – the offices, canteens, toilets and drying rooms that support construction crews – are powered on its projects, an area that had traditionally defaulted to diesel generation. Rather than modelling alternatives, SP Transmission trialled different supply options on live sites, so findings reflected real operating conditions. The trial indicated that lower-carbon options can reduce both emissions and running costs while meeting site requirements. The evidence was used to create a company-wide hierarchy policy for selecting welfare power, and sustainability requirements were written into tender documents so suppliers must demonstrate how they will minimise emissions.