Smart Local Energy Systems: A Blueprint for the UK’s Energy Future

Source: Amey | · CIVIL SERVICE WORLD · |March 11, 2025

The drive to achieve net zero by 2050 is prompting a shift in the UK’s energy landscape, moving away from fossil fuels towards decarbonised energy generation, widespread electrification and energy efficiency. David Aird, Amey’s Net Zero and Energy Solutions Director, explains the challenge

Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) are emerging as a pioneering approach to address the UK’s energy challenge, designed to attract large-scale private sector investment to deliver vital social, economic and environmental benefits. Unlike traditional centralised energy systems, these networks leverage local renewable energy sources, storage and digital technologies to optimise decarbonised energy use and place local community needs at the centre of investment decisions.

The synergistic objectives of clean energy growth and local devolution are at the heart of the government’s Great British Energy and Local Power Plan strategies. When combined with the private sector’s expertise, innovative approaches and available financial resources, this clean energy ambition can become a reality.

As the cost of renewable energy and storage continue to fall, SLES increasingly offer a viable route towards lower domestic energy bills, enhanced resilience and support for the UK’s net zero ambitions –

provided policy, regulatory, and community engagement hurdles can be overcome.

Embracing a systems approach

SLES embody a “place-based” Whole System strategy, integrating renewable energy generation, smart grids and advanced storage technologies tailored to local demand – an approach supported by the UK Government’s Local Power Plan, which aims to support community-led and locally-owned renewable

energy projects.

This bottom-up approach contrasts with traditional energy models that rely on large-scale, centralised fossil fuel generation and distribution systems.

The prize for implementing SLES is significant: reduced energy costs, increased social equity, and community resilience. Utilising real-time data enables accurate demand prediction, avoiding overproduction or shortfalls of supply. A study by the University of Leeds and PwC highlights that place-specific investments in energy systems could generate social benefits of £825bn through local job creation for example, significantly outstripping the returns from the existing centralised strategies.