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After over a decade of stagnant electricity demand, the UK is at a critical inflection point. As we accelerate the electrification of transport, the decarbonisation of heat, and the expansion of digital infrastructure, our energy system must transform to meet rising consumption.
Lara Martini, Commercial Director at the REA, the UK’s largest renewable energy association representing over 400 members, employing 200,000 employees, explores how this shift presents a generational opportunity for local economic renewal. This session moves beyond single-technology solutions to examine the vital synergy required to meet rising demand: the combination of established leaders like solar and storage with continuous "baseload" power such as geothermal and biomass, and the critical role of batteries as system enablers.
Drawing both on her leadership at the REA and her governance role at Magna Housing, Lara will discuss how this integrated approach is the key to both affordability and a just transition. She will highlight how recent trends in government energy tenders demonstrate that as we achieve critical mass, "green premium" costs are shifting, and how conversation shifting toward a long-term view of affordability and cost of ownership.
The talk will also provide insights into evolving job trends, in a market where the demand for green talent is currently outstripping supply by nearly two-to-one.
Attendees will leave with a strategic overview of how the transition to Net Zero is moving from a policy ambition to a practical, commercially-driven engine for an inclusive and resilient economy.