In reality, Australia presents a potentially frustrating mix of challenges: a vast grid that isn’t always ready for large-scale offshore wind integration, complex and misaligned federal and state approval pathways, high regulatory expectations but limited baseline data, and unpredictable community engagement dynamics. Developers who rely on what has worked elsewhere risk major delays and cost overruns.

As the approvals consultant for the nation’s most advanced offshore wind farm, Star of the South, we have been at the forefront of the local offshore wind industry since 2019. But our experience goes well beyond offshore. For more than a decade, we’ve delivered planning, design and engineering services across transmission and distribution networks for Australia’s major utility operators. From grid connection negotiations and network modelling to corridor planning and substation design, our integrated capability — and deep understanding of local standards and key stakeholders — means we can look at the bigger picture across the full development lifecycle. 

This is further strengthened by team members with offshore wind experience from around the world, giving us a clear view of what ‘normal’ looks like for international developers, and where the Australian market differs. Based on this combined experience, here are five critical insights every offshore wind developer should know before entering the Australian market.

De-risking offshore wind projects in Australia

1. Disjointed connection frameworks increase integration risk 

Australia’s grid connection process is more complex than many international developers expect. Australia’s National Electricity Rules and network planning requirements present real challenges; no clear framework for shared infrastructure, limited coordination across offshore projects and no dedicated provision for transmission corridors. 

Through our involvement in more than 25 projects over the past five years, we’ve seen how early awareness of evolving grid regulations is critical. In one case, we resolved a mid-project clash between reactive power requirements and inverter capabilities through early technical engagement and negotiation. 

Offshore components like turbines and inverters can also face approval hurdles if they’re not already recognised under Australian standards. We’ve supported clients through this process, helping to navigate model approval and working with industry groups to ease the path for new technology.  

2. Australia’s grid network is fundamentally different  

Australia’s grid is isolated, low-density, long, stringy and unmeshed. It’s difficult and time-consuming to connect. With a small population and state-based grids (for example, Western Australia’s standalone system), load sizes are smaller. In Victoria, the single biggest allowable loss of a generation connection is 600 megawatts. This often necessitates stability systems and batteries to secure a connection agreement and protect grid integrity. 

3. The tyranny of distance is real 

Australia’s remoteness poses major logistical challenges. Long shipping distances, limited local manufacturing and exposure to global supply chain disruptions all increase costs and lead times. Offshore components often require modifications, such as complete rewiring, to meet local standards. These are crucial considerations during development and contracting. 

4. Offshore wind regulation is complex and fragmented   

Australia may look familiar to international developers. Its transition policies often echo those of the UK and Europe, and regulators are generally open to adopting global best practice where local guidelines are still evolving. 

But beneath the surface, things get complicated. Each state has its own environmental and planning approval pathways, often overlapping with Commonwealth requirements. For example, projects beyond three nautical miles fall under federal jurisdiction alone, but those closer to shore must meet both state and federal approvals. The same applies to species protection, with threatened or migratory species potentially governed at one or both levels. 

Compounding the challenge is a lack of detailed ecological baseline data, particularly compared to Europe. This makes local expertise essential. We work with trusted partners, like JASCO Applied Sciences for underwater noise, BMT for marine ecology and Nature Advisory for bird impact assessments, as we’ve done for Ørsted’s Gippsland 1 Offshore Wind Farm. 

New entrants should be prepared for a regulatory environment that’s still maturing. Interpreting requirements, not just following them, is often necessary, and online guidance quickly becomes outdated. Strong local relationships with regulators can make all the difference. Our long-standing engagement with key agencies ensures we stay ahead of change and help our clients do the same. 

5. Poor community engagement threatens social license to operate   

In Australia, renewable infrastructure can be polarising, especially offshore wind, which interacts directly with our treasured coastline. With 85 percent of the population living within 50 kilometres (31 miles) of the coast, many communities are deeply connected to recreational activities like surfing, fishing and camping, and wary of anything that might disrupt that way of life. 

Projects that fail to engage early and meaningfully with local communities risk being derailed by public opposition. But reactions vary widely. The Gippsland community, for instance, continues to show strong support for offshore wind, thanks to the groundwork laid by Star of the South. Community support for this came from listening to what mattered most; for Gippsland, it was recreational fishing, and taking steps to minimise impacts, such as protecting nearshore fish populations and limiting exclusion zones during construction. 

Engagement goes beyond consultation. Communities respond positively when they see real local benefits: job opportunities, supply chain involvement and housing solutions that prevent rent hikes. In the EU or UK, housing construction workers who are flown in to work on an offshore wind project might be a challenge, but here in Australia, amid a rental crisis in low-populated regions, it could become a deal-breaker. Some developers are addressing this by recruiting local workers and facilitating accommodation that can later be converted for other uses, meeting short-term needs and leaving a positive legacy. 

A safe pair of hands in offshore wind 

Success in Australia depends on local knowledge, relationships and credibility, across both engineering and environmental disciplines. We bring deep local experience, global offshore wind capability and trusted partnerships with local experts and stakeholders. 

We help developers interpret complex regulations, navigate approval processes and build meaningful community engagement strategies. With our finger on the pulse of regulatory change, we know how to de-risk offshore wind development in Australia, from concept to construction, by playing by Aussie rules. 

The post Aussie rules for offshore wind: Five must-know insights for developers appeared first on Without Limits.

City-wide decarbonization efforts are often driven by national, state or local government emissions targets and associated grant or incentive opportunities to support these. To meet these targets, authorities and estate managers can often fall into the trap of working in decarbonization silos; for example, tackling issues around heating, electric vehicles (EVs) or public transport independently. The default method is to focus on individual short-term solutions, but addressing these areas separately can result in inefficiencies and challenges down the line. 

The big-picture approach 

Intelligent integration is a way of holistically viewing decarbonization pathways. The focus remains on emissions reduction, while also identifying efficiencies that might be gained or secondary effects that could be mitigated. A systems thinking approach is crucial in prioritizing demand and determining the best solutions — whether that’s adopting clean fuels for transport or implementing alternative heat sources into buildings. It also integrates energy resilience naturally throughout the demand reduction and local generation/storage processes. This is particularly important when considering the geopolitical factors affecting energy supplies today and the grid instabilities we are increasingly seeing.

With a systems thinking approach — leveraging new infrastructure for multiple uses and with local generation and storage, integrated into the wider networks — cities can significantly improve energy resilience and support essential services during disruptions, emergencies or peak demand periods. This can be achieved through a combination of local solar panels, energy storage, heat storage, smart controls and interconnection. Further, diversifying energy sources strengthens energy transition efforts (such as demand reduction and electrification), making regions more resilient and reducing the need for so much infrastructure upgrade or state-level storage solutions  

Overcoming the challenges 

Systems thinking has many benefits, but there are still challenges that need to be considered and overcome. The benefit of this approach, though, is that many solutions can be assessed and integrated from the outset. The top three challenges cities face include: 

1. Funding. In the long run, well-designed decarbonization policies can lead to reduced costs for everyone (as demonstrated below), yet implementing these policies involves significant upfront investment. In the short term, these costs must be affordable for the end-user and not place individual households in a position where they cannot afford the cost of their energy needs.  

A systems thinking approach — looking at the picture as a whole — can collate multiple schemes, increasing the value and therefore the attractiveness of the funding proposition. For example, coordinating the installation of heat networks, EV charging infrastructure, smart grids and cycle lanes can reduce costs and minimize disruption by aligning civil works. Similarly, combining building-level improvements with generation initiatives can unlock different private sector funding streams. 

‘Techno-economic modeling’ can also help illuminate investment opportunities by estimating the technical performance and economic viability of a proposed project. By showing how a project can work in practice, potential funders can have greater confidence in the return on investment (ROI) of decarbonization. 

Alternative financing models, such as public-private partnerships (P3s), can also help cities fund critical infrastructure upgrades. For example, we designed and implemented the largest wastewater heat recovery district energy system under a P3 at the National Western Center in Denver, Colorado, U.S.. In what would typically be an out-of-reach capital investment and operational challenge for a city to undertake through traditional financing methods, the City of Denver established a dedicated authority to focus on the management and facilitation of third-party financing, delivery and operations. By structuring financing in this or similar ways, cities can implement ambitious decarbonization projects and do so in shorter time frames, maximizing the benefits.

To this end, we supported Miami, Florida, U.S. in developing its Climate Action Plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This work included a whole-system analysis of the city’s green economy and identification of the key green industries primed for growth. Among these are solar energy initiatives, transportation electrification and increasing micro-mobility options – all of which would help achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, support the local economy and deliver worthwhile financial returns. 

2. People. Driving behavioral change is an essential part of the system. Technologies like EMS (environmental monitoring systems) can incorporate artificial intelligence to provide more accurate demand control for utilities by tailoring energy use around individual lifestyles. However, many people are uncomfortable about losing authority over their energy provisions — a challenge that extends to other carbon-intensive sectors, such as transportation.  

A systems thinking approach encourages communities to work with behavioral change experts, outreach specialists and community engagement leaders. By clearly communicating the long-term financial and environmental benefits of championing new habits in a relatable way, cities can win the support of both residents and businesses. 

We’ve been working with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to implement a systems thinking approach to help them meet their heat decarbonization targets. The integrated program seeks to support the delivery of strategic scale heat decarbonization — large-scale efforts that connect multiple urban areas — at the city and city-region level. We developed business cases for portfolio–level programs, focusing on assets under the control or influence of GMCA and the local authorities across Greater Manchester that are built on tangible projects with both technical and commercial solutions. Consumer choice plays a critical role in the success of these solutions, and building public confidence and understanding in heat networks can significantly improve both the commercial viability of the program and the carbon savings achieved as more buildings connect.

3. Avoiding grid constraints. Moving away from fossil fuel generation hubs places greater strain on different parts of the electricity network, including local systems. On a micro scale, heat pumps have been identified as a cleaner solution to home heating and hot water, but they are already putting a heavy load on the grid. 

A systems thinking approach helps cities and utilities view the broader picture. By shifting demand onto private wires and ‘microgrids’ — networks of campus– and community-scale energy infrastructure — they can lighten the load on the main grid, reduce costly upgrades and deliver major program savings for communities and local businesses. This approach can also strengthen overall grid resilience and enable smarter, more efficient energy use. Over the past several years we’ve partnered with the City of San Jose in California, U.S., to analyze, develop and design microgrids and resiliency solutions for various sites. We integrated novel technologies into new and existing electrical power grids for efficient microgrid deployment for a convention center, community center, amusement park and the zoo. This resulted in increased operational resilience, demand management reliability, and energy supply decarbonization across the city.  

Taking the first steps towards systems thinking 

Realizing national and international climate ambitions will demand a shared effort, with towns, cities and states playing a vital role. Barriers such as securing funding, encouraging meaningful behavioral change and managing energy demands are real — but not insurmountable. With a systems thinking approach, these challenges can be addressed through coordinated action built around lasting community buy-in.  

City-wide decarbonization is about more than reducing emissions — it’s about people, communities and creating places where clean, reliable energy supports better homes, more connected transport and stronger local economies. Systems thinking can help reduce energy bills, strengthen energy resilience and achieve emissions goals.  

Decarbonization at the city-scale isn’t easy — but with the right partner who sees the big picture and applies a systems thinking approach, the benefits for your communities and local economy are well worth the effort.   

To learn more, visit: Portfolio decarbonization and climate resilience.  

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In response to these increasing physical threats, we commissioned an independent survey, in partnership with Cyber Energia. Our global energy advisory lead, Adrian Del Maestro, global offshore wind lead, Dawn MacDonald and Cyber Energia’s business development lead, Darrel Ellis discuss the findings and offer a fresh perspective on cybersecurity in the renewable energy sector.

Our jointly commissioned survey solicited thoughts from business leaders to assess the impact cyberthreats have on investment and operating strategies. The research captured insights from senior financial and operational leaders, asset managers, developers and technology providers, such as Gore Street Capital and Gresham House.

Results illuminate how cybersecurity is viewed as a business risk: shaping investment, governance and resilience strategies across the energy sector and beyond. Moreover, the survey results illustrate how businesses in renewable energy will need to do much more to improve cyber resilience if we are to mitigate the risk of the ‘lights going out’ in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.

Key data findings

Cybersecurity investment: Despite growing risks and concerns, investment levels remain low, and corporate response is reactive.

• The Network and Information Security (NIS2) Directive in the European Union (EU), an EU directive expanding cybersecurity rules for critical sectors, including energy, with stricter risk management, reporting and penalties.
• The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), a North American cybersecurity framework requiring utilities to protect critical power infrastructure from cyber threats through strict security controls and compliance measures.
• The Cyber Security Act (Australia), which imposes mandatory cyber risk management and incident reporting on critical infrastructure sectors.
• The United Kingdom’s (U.K.) Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations.

Supply chain insecurity: A major area of vulnerability likely to worsen.

There is an over-dependence on Asian manufacturers for essential components, leading to a supply chain imbalance.

Asset manager, solar investor – from AECOM / Cyber Energia survey

There is also increasing concern about single-control architecture, where operations and maintenance (O&M) providers or manufacturers retain sole access to digital controls. A breach in such a system could paralyze operations and trigger widespread distrust of the renewable model itself.

Legacy infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI): New risks proliferating fast.

1. 1. Today’s energy systems — remote access, AI-driven control and automation — are interconnected for efficiency, but introduce new vulnerabilities and potential access points to broader networks. Legacy renewable assets are particularly exposed to cybersecurity threats, as they lag behind today’s digital advancements:
   2. Modern cyber attackers are leveraging AI and automation. 96 percent of respondents report that automated and AI-enhanced cyberattacks are now a growing concern. These threats bypass traditional defenses and exploit predictable response patterns.  Conversely, the same AI technologies enhancing forecasting and operational efficiency are being weaponized by attackers. Malicious actors can use AI to learn network typology, connect SCADA systems and identify vulnerabilities. By using AI to learn systems, attackers can mimic normal traffic so malware blends into regular conditions.
   3. Despite this, only 18 percent of companies regularly upgrade critical network security equipment, such as routers and firewalls. This underinvestment can create exploitable backdoors across critical infrastructure. Insurance providers are beginning to deny coverage or impose steep premiums on organizations without sufficient cybersecurity maturity.

Renewable energy installations have been built for over a decade now. Obviously, the level of cybersecurity installed on 2012 assets is not the same standard deployed for assets which have been recently connected.

Asset manager, energy investor p from AECOM / Cyber Energia survey

96 percent of respondents report that automated and AI-enhanced cyberattacks are now a growing concern. These threats bypass traditional defenses and exploit predictable response patterns.

Implications

Despite awareness of rising threats and one in 10 companies reporting past cyberattacks, many low-carbon developers admit to underinvesting in cybersecurity. This presents a risk to asset and system resiliency.

With increasing digitization and AI integration, cybersecurity must be elevated to the boardroom as a strategic risk, rather than in the traditional support function.

The cyber integrity of global supply chains poses a complex challenge. Developers rely heavily on suppliers for components and services. However, in many cases, O&Ms and equipment providers maintain exclusive control over digital infrastructure. Without secure contract models and shared governance, a single breach could compromise an entire portfolio of systems. It is essential for new assets to be future-proofed for AI-driven threats as well. This requires the entire sector to redefine “resilience”.

Mandatory incident reporting under NIS 2.0 marks an industry-wide movement toward greater transparency. Historically, organizations have not been required to report cyberattacks, making it difficult to understand the true scale of incidents within the renewable energy sector. Due to concerns about brand reputation, insurance implications and stakeholder perception, many attacks are believed to go unreported. However, new regulations now mandate timely and transparent reporting, fostering greater accountability at the executive level.

Recommendations

Government

Energy security is now a strategic pillar for national interest. As countries balance decarbonization with reliability, it is important that governments set and enforce rigorous cybersecurity standards for the energy sector.

NIS 2.0 sets a legal precedent. Governments must manage compliance and introduce real consequences for inaction. Additionally, it is essential that backdoor disclosures, vendor audits and DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) frameworks be extended to the entire energy ecosystem, beyond financial institutions alone.

As we look at the rapidly evolving landscape of our industry, it’s clear that proactive management of cybersecurity is a necessity to protect critical infrastructure and data.

Jennifer Obertino, global energy practice lead, AECOM

Business

Low-carbon developers will need to treat cybersecurity as a board-level responsibility. This will require new capital investment, expanded capabilities and consistent risk reviews. Operational asset assessments and end-to-end supply chain audits are now essential. Companies must adopt mandatory vendor risk assessments, zero-trust access controls and ongoing security audits. Failure to treat cyber risk as a strategic priority may directly affect business continuity and financial performance.

Investors

As capital flows into low-carbon development, investors should seek to embed cybersecurity as a core metric in their due diligence.

Cyber maturity should be evaluated alongside technical innovation and leadership strength. Operational resilience testing and digital attack simulations must become standard. Companies without full NIS 2.0 compliance may find themselves classified as high-risk, no matter their growth story or green credentials.

In a more complex and volatile geopolitical world, renewable energy companies need to focus on and escalate the importance of cyber resilience. The companies that do so will improve operational performance and profitability, while simultaneously helping to address energy security.

If we don’t secure the future of energy, we risk powering progress with vulnerability. Cyber must not be the afterthought of sustainability: it must be its backbone.

Rafael Narezzi, founder, Cyber Energia

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In 2024, low-carbon energy technologies constituted the vast majority of new energy capacity added to the grid. While solar photovoltaic (PV) systems led the way, the second-greatest contribution was not wind nor nuclear, but battery energy storage systems (BESS), representing 23 percent of new capacity.

These two technologies — PV and BESS — not only dominate the emerging energy landscape they are also inextricably linked. As PV capacity continues to increase rapidly, many states have found themselves with more solar energy than they can reliably use. BESS is key to ensuring that this additional clean energy, rather than being curtailed or wasted, is instead stored and redeployed at critical moments of high demand.

Yet, despite capacity growing 66 percent in 2024 alone, BESS systems have polarized public opinion, particularly around safety and community impacts, and require significant expertise and expensive hardware to deliver.

For developers and utilities to progress BESS projects — and support a new generation of renewable energy capacity — they’ll need to prioritize permitting, streamline procurement and, critically, get the public on board.

A wide range of benefits

When considering their sheer breadth of benefits, it’s easy to see why BESS has taken off.

Utilities and grid operators have seen more efficient load balancing and greater reliability thanks to BESS projects. Peak demand shaving benefits of BESS have also allowed utilities to begin decommissioning expensive, polluting peaker plants that have long helped manage short-term spikes in energy demand.

“Communities that adopt battery storage will see lower energy bills and reduced air pollution as well as greater resilience during blackouts and extreme weather.”

Consumers are poised to benefit too. Communities that adopt battery storage will see lower energy bills and reduced air pollution as well as greater resilience during blackouts and extreme weather.

Many of these benefits are possible because of BESS units and their capability to grid form with the local utility grid — actively stabilizing the power grid by independently controlling voltage and frequency. This allows BESS to provide vital support during grid disruptions, particularly when integrating large amounts of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.

Engaging communities

Effectively engaging the public and addressing community concerns regarding BESS is critical to project delivery.

Local community values must shape messaging efforts, allowing audiences to understand how BESS projects benefit them — whether through resilience for critical local infrastructure or reductions in air pollution.

Delivery is as critical as content when crafting messaging. A multipronged, interactive community engagement program maximizes opportunities for education and engagement around BESS.

This may include public meetings, pop-up events, presentations delivered to Community Based Organizations and civic organizations, collaboration with community leaders in vulnerable communities, digital engagement and multilingual approaches. Digital engagement, in particular, provides an opportunity for casting a broad net and providing opportunities for stakeholders to engage at their convenience.

“Delivery is as critical as content when crafting messaging.”

Safety and compliance

Of course, BESS developers must not just win over the public. They must also adhere to stringent regulations and standards.

A whole host of environmental permitting laws, including the Federal National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and state regulations like California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and New York’s State’s Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR), all impose extensive requirements on BESS projects, from air pollution and impacts on local flora and fauna to greenhouse gas emissions.

Perhaps the most publicized risk of BESS projects is battery fires. Though battery fires pose real health impacts to local communities during fire events, the technology remains broadly safe — and more so each year with advances in battery chemistries, standards and fire prevention systems.

Between just 2018 and 2023, grid-scale battery failure rates fell by 97 percent worldwide, thanks to increased regulations and safety testing standards such as NFPA 855 and UL9540A implemented during that time. When seeking a BESS supplier, it is recommended to select a manufacturer that meets the newest safety standards set by UL 9540 and UL9540A, which cover the construction, manufacturing, and performance of BESS. The best brands also undergo extensive fire testing.

“Between just 2018 and 2023, grid-scale battery failure rates fell by 97 percent worldwide, thanks to increased regulations and safety testing standards.”

Integrated expertise

While designing a safe, compliant BESS system is imminently feasible, the challenge for many developers is that the requisite expertise often extends far beyond their capabilities.

The key, then, is partnering with permitting experts who understand not just the complexities of BESS technologies but also have integrated delivery capabilities across the whole scope of the environmental sector.

“While designing a safe, compliant BESS system is imminently feasible, the challenge for many developers is that the requisite expertise often extends far beyond their capabilities.”

Battery projects AECOM has delivered have leveraged a broad base of expertise. On projects like the RE Crimson Solar Project in Palm Springs, California, our teams are supporting multiple permits required for numerous state and federal agencies. Within the last four years, we’ve also assisted San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) with pre-construction natural resource assessments, engineering support, and geotechnical work for several BESS and microgrid projects in San Diego County.

The benefits of an integrated delivery partner are manifold. Owners can streamline the project development process with more effective cross-functional integration while also enabling handoffs between process steps under a single, comprehensive team.

Standardizing equipment and procurement

There is a high demand for industry components that support grid infrastructure. Continued growth in PV, BESS, electric vehicles, and data centers, has caused multi-year manufacturing lead times and rising costs for transformers, high voltage /medium voltage wire, and breakers critical for BESS projects.

A way to mitigate this challenge is by standardizing equipment purchases of different sizes and categories.

“Standardized purchasing and predictable design allow for confidence within the organization to progress a project and its renewable energy goals.”

Standardization allows greater predictability. Developers can design sites based on known equipment parameters, ensuring material compatibility, and can make predictable long-lead item purchases annually. This relationship between standardized purchasing and predictable design allows for confidence within the organization to progress a project and its renewable energy goals.

Bringing it all together

Technical innovation continues to make battery electric storage ever more viable. Yet, the future of BESS will also depend upon capabilities outside the energy sector.

To sustain BESS growth, developers will need to emphasize public engagement and permitting in development projects, streamline procurement, as well as bring expertise across a whole array of environmental sectors. Unifying these disciplines will not only prove transformative for consumers — it will also make the energy transition a reality.

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Every year, more and more travelers take to the skies. It is expected that passenger air traffic will almost double by 2042, reaching nearly 18 billion passengers annually. And as travel demand increases, so too will aviation’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). To reach net zero, the sector must act decisively — and soon, as the air sector is one of the fastest-growing transportation-related GHG emitters.

In response, airports around the world are seeking numerous solutions to reach their net zero targets. One in particular has taken off and promises to expand the performance of airports. That solution is the microgrid.

Some of the world’s leading airports have already begun installing microgrids, and their efforts are paying off; microgrids support local and regional zero-emission ambitions and can build resilience for mission-critical operations. Here’s what it takes to get this technology off the ground.

Airports as energy hubs

The world’s airports consume vast quantities of energy — equivalent to more than 10,000,000 tons of CO2e per year in Scope 1 and 2 emissions according to recent estimates. But what if they produced and managed energy of their own?

That’s the promise of microgrids, which entail an independent grid system that supports on-site electricity generation via photovoltaic (PV), and other low-carbon sources. Integrated battery storage also plays a critical role in microgrids, allowing locally generated energy to be conserved, sold back to the broader grid, or even support seamless operations during power outages or emergencies.

It’s for precisely the above reasons — sustainability, resilience and cost — that microgrids have taken off at many airports.

Fearful of expensive disruptions caused by power outages at other U.S. airports, in 2021 Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) became the first airport in the world to fully power its operations through a microgrid supported by natural gas and solar energy.

Built, operated and maintained by the local utility at no cost to the airport, the microgrid — powered by five natural gas-fueled generators and nearly 10,000 PV solar panels — can meet the facility’s peak power needs. In its first year, the microgrid saved PIT $1 million in energy costs and reduced roughly 8.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.

In New York City, nearly $10 billion in upgrades to Terminal One at JFK International Airport will include a microgrid powered by a combination of natural gas, rooftop solar, fuel cells and battery storage.

Rather than meeting the terminal’s total daily electricity needs, the microgrid will instead ensure exceptional resilience: it will provide enough continuous power for the 23-gate hub to keep functioning even if the grid goes down — reducing the risk of canceled flights and sustaining critical operations.

One size does not fit all

To unlock these demonstrated benefits, airports will need to navigate an array of considerations, including multiple tenants and stakeholders, local resources, regulations, competing priorities and myriad safety and security requirements. All of these, though, can be managed and mitigated by developing a custom solution on a site-by-site basis.

Making space

One of the most frequent challenges is space. Airports must find sites for multiple energy resources while also contending with sprawling facilities and diverse tenant requirements. And among the most stringent of those requirements are height limitations and risk of glare.

Air traffic control restrictions can also place constraints on the siting and implementation of certain facilities, including PV panels. Overcoming these constraints means thinking creatively.

Airports can consider multiple microgrids supported by PV located on garages, rooftops and rental car centers. They also might leverage combined heat and power via hydrogen or renewable natural gas cogeneration as part of the central utility plant. Fuel cells and battery storage are also part of the solution and can be integrated across multiple locations for greater flexibility and efficiency.

Safe and secure

Critical safety and security needs also accompany the introduction of microgrids. The significant communications technologies embedded in microgrids present considerable cybersecurity risks. Cybersecurity measures must play a key role in the deployment and operation of microgrids, protecting these systems against cyberattacks and ensuring a resilient power supply.

A balancing act

Electrical loads and energy management pose another complication. As the industry accelerates sustainable operations and the electrification of facilities, fleets and aircrafts, load requirements for airports are increasing. While microgrids can help manage this surge in load growth and limit associated infrastructure costs, it remains a complex task to balance numerous, often intermittent, energy sources.

Advanced energy management systems can help balance complex loads generated by distributed energy resources (DERs), such as solar, or hydrogen, while also optimizing energy storage and consumption. An ideal mix of DERs will also look different for each airport and may have significant regional variation due to local energy resources. In the case of PIT, natural gas was used from onsite extraction thanks to a partnership with Consol Energy.

Costs (and revenue)

With many components to install and integrate, cost can become a concern. Fortunately, when optimized, energy generation and dispatch of onsite sources can create revenue streams and offset the expense of installation and operation.

If the energy rates, operations, and space are all conducive, it’s readily possible to optimize DERs to create a reliable revenue stream. Energy generated on site can be sold back to utilities during peak periods for a premium, while the microgrid can also provide frequency management as a service for the surrounding grid. An added cost benefit of microgrids is that they can minimize the installation of additional, capital-intensive electrical infrastructure to meet greater loads.

Setting a flight plan

Decarbonizing the aviation sector will require industry-wide action. As hubs for millions of travelers, airports have a critical role to play.

Microgrids present a particularly promising decarbonization solution and can enable airports to drive an array of environmental and operational transformations. From decarbonizing travel and energy production to building resilience into grid systems, microgrid adoption can help airports achieve their net zero targets while also safeguarding travelers and airlines.

With so many elements to consider — from DERs, energy storage, operations and design — airports will need to build integrated expertise to realize and operate microgrids. Delivery partners too must have competencies in facilities management, clean energy, and, of course, airport design. Even amidst these complexities, this smart technology is rapidly becoming a standard practice for many airports. The rewards — resiliency, security, sustainability — are proving well worth the effort.

Learn more about our global aviation practice ranked #1 by Engineering News-Record.

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Transmission and distribution systems around the world are rapidly undergoing upgrades in response to growing demand. This increase is driven by several factors, including the electrification of transportation and buildings and growth in energy-intensive data center and manufacturing operations. The call for more resilient and secure transmission solutions to safeguard the grid against natural disasters and cyber-attacks has also grown louder. Network operators must re-align infrastructure to address these challenges while connecting new and varied forms of generation to meet the increased demand.

The scale of these upgrades — the number of individual projects, the rate of change and the overall capital expenditure — is unprecedented. In the U.S., National Grid announced a five-year US$35 billion investment in the states of New York and Massachusetts to meet local decarbonization goals. In the United Kingdom (U.K.), the government set ambitious energy goals for 2030, where the Great Grid Upgrade aims to deliver five times more electricity infrastructure over the next six years than what was constructed over the prior 30. And the Australian Government, through its Rewiring the Nation Fund, committed A$19 billion (~US$11.9 billion) for transmission and distribution network infrastructure.   

In Europe, transmission giant TenneT forecasts spending €160 billion (US$170 billion) from 2020 to 2030 to triple its network capacity and support carbon neutrality goals. Electricity operators, such as the U.K.’s National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), forecast demand doubling by 2050. Despite significant investment, there are several hurdles to clear before grids can meet all the current and future demands placed upon them. 

Key challenges to enhancing the grid

Sizeable infrastructure projects often come with equally sizeable challenges. Those associated with the grid must be addressed early on if they are to transform quickly enough to handle the increased demand and requirement for decentralized generation.  

The skills gap. A significant hiring need accompanies the growing scale of these modernization projects. The U.K.’s National Grid reported a gap of 400,000 people necessary across the country’s energy sector to achieve net zero by 2050. This represents an uplift of more than 50 percent of the current workforce.

Supply chain issues. As networks worldwide conduct upgrades, the materials and components currently being manufactured are insufficient to meet demand, often resulting in project setbacks. According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), transformer lead times have quadrupled since before 2022, with utilities experiencing delays of up to two years.

Complex planning processes. Large-scale transmission projects can take several years to progress. Before getting off the ground, local and national planning requirements must be met and meaningful community engagement work undertaken to ensure on-time delivery of project milestones. 

Implementing a programmatic approach  

Utility companies have traditionally managed new connection programs with in-house resources for everything from investment planning to design and delivery. Conversely, the scale and complexity of today’s grid upgrades has led some to outsource entire projects, relying on contractors for turnkey delivery.  

As is often the case, the most effective approach lies somewhere in-between. When it comes to modernizing the grid, an integrated program management model has several benefits: 

1. Capacity. Larger projects require more skilled people. Implementing a programmatic partnership can bolster the utility’s workforce for the duration of a project or during peaks in demand throughout a program’s lifespan. Having a partner simultaneously manage resources across multiple projects and activities leads to efficiencies in scheduling, cost and risk management. 

New York Power Authority (NYPA). Transitioning from a staff augmentation model to a program management approach is an exercise in organizational change management. Building on more than a decade of collaboration with NYPA, we’re supporting their shift to a value-driven, long-term programmatic approach. As their program partner, we’re providing structure, oversight and coordination in alignment with NYPA’s desired outcomes. Together, we’re enhancing their capacity by streamlining operations, improving knowledge-sharing and increasing access to global expertise. 

2. Expertise. Utility companies can take advantage of technical expertise and project management skills they might not otherwise have in-house. This can range from adopting best practices for small individual grid modernization projects to implementing an operating model based on several smaller, high-volume projects across an entire network. 

 3. A fresh eye. An outside program partner can bring a unique outlook that improves project outcomes. They can offer new perspectives on program management or digital enhancements from prior experience, leading to greater efficiency and performance. 

 4. De-risking. Working with a partner who has ‘skin in the game’ provides reassurance that they are invested for the entire program lifecycle. Using key performance indicators (KPIs) can help establish that capacity hits promised levels, timelines are met and costs controlled.  

 5. Unlocking the supply chain. Competition for materials is at an all-time high. The right partner can look across the entire program landscape and flag where lead times might be an issue. They can then engage with suppliers earlier and provide accurate forecasts to minimize holdups. 

 6. Community liaison. Community outreach is vital for the timely start and completion of any major project. A program partner can engage the community, communicate the benefits of the project and address concerns at an early stage to ensure the entire program or project runs as planned. 

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). SDG&E takes a programmatic approach to community engagement that builds in the resources and processes necessary to be proactive and transparent, fostering open communication and trust. Without this approach, engagement at the project-level can be fragmented, rushed and unclear. By integrating projects into a broader program-level strategy, stakeholders are identified and engaged sooner allowing their concerns to be heard and addressed. This upfront investment in coordination has reduced barriers, saved costs and paved the way for smoother project execution. Ultimately, this approach transformed community engagement into a long-term partnership, creating a replicable model for future community initiatives. 

A resilient energy future 

A programmatic approach to grid modernization equips utility companies with the expertise and resources needed to modernize their grid infrastructure and meet rising energy demands. Utility companies can increase the scale of their projects, mitigate supply chain constraints, enhance workforce capacity and reduce their own risks. These benefits can lead to accelerated project delivery, optimized costs and authentic community engagement — securing a more resilient and reliable energy future for all.

If you would like to learn more, please contact our grid modernization team. 

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Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are at the forefront of the global transition towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future. As grid modernisation gains traction, these systems will play an increasingly important role in meeting the ever-growing demand for clean, reliable power.  

However, the development of BESS projects comes with its own formidable set of challenges. These range from technological hurdles to regulatory complexities.  

Here, we examine the obstacles that arise in the planning, design and construction of battery energy storage systems and share ten recommendations that developers can action based on our own experience supporting clients to progress major BESS projects of all types in the UK, such as SSE Renewables’ first ever BESS project in Salisbury, Wiltshire.  

1/ Stay abreast of technical advancements and compatibility   

The rapid evolution of battery technologies poses both opportunities and challenges for BESS developers. Staying abreast of the latest advancements is crucial, as these will have a big influence upon the efficiency, lifespan, and cost-effectiveness of the BESS installation. Developers must carefully select and integrate components to maximise system performance. 

2/ Thoroughly analyse site characteristics before selecting an area of land 

Before selecting an area of land for potential BESS development a thorough analysis of various important site characteristics must be carried out. These will include, but not be limited to, the type of terrain, proximity to both residential and commercial properties, access – both during construction and operation, environmental conditions, legal status/classification, site size, flood risk and proximity to a suitable grid connection. 

3/ Navigate the delicate balance between upfront costs and long-term benefits 

While the cost of battery storage technology has been decreasing, the initial capital investment for BESS projects can still be substantial. Securing funding and achieving financial viability remains a significant challenge. Developers need to navigate the delicate balance between upfront costs and long-term benefits, considering factors like battery degradation, through life maintenance, system integration, insurance and end of life costs.  

4/ Be aware that regulatory requirements may change during the project lifecycle  

Navigating regulatory landscapes can pose a considerable challenge for BESS projects. As BESS is a relatively new technology, regulations and standards are currently diverse and evolving at local, national, and international levels. There is currently not the same body of knowledge available that exists for more established installation types.  

Furthermore, regulatory requirements may change during the project lifecycle. Developers need to be aware of this and make project adjustments in real time. Securing necessary permits, addressing environmental concerns, and complying with safety standards demand meticulous planning and engagement with regulatory bodies.  

The absence of standardised regulatory frameworks and, in some cases, national or international technical standards for energy storage can introduce uncertainty and delays in project development. Clearly identifying the basis of design and any national or international standards invoked at an early stage in project development is advisable. 

5/ Consider timing of grid connection   

Integrating BESS into existing power grids presents technical and logistical challenges. Ensuring seamless interconnection with the grid, managing voltage fluctuations, and addressing grid reliability concerns and, in some cases, potential curtailment, are critical aspects of project development. In addition to technical considerations, timing of grid connection must be considered when developing project programmes. 

6/ Prioritise sustainable practices in sourcing materials, manufacturing processes, and end-of-life disposal strategies 

The environmental impact of manufacturing, operation, installation and disposal of batteries cannot be ignored. Balancing the environmental benefits of BESS with the potential ecological consequences poses a significant challenge. Developers must prioritise sustainable practices in sourcing materials, manufacturing processes, and end-of-life disposal strategies to minimise the overall environmental footprint of BESS projects. 

7/ Invest in robust environmental assessments that demonstrate good design 

Many BESS installations, which are currently in planning, are in relatively close proximity to residential and/or commercial properties. The local community may well be concerned with issues such as visual impact, fire safety, noise, impact on drainage etc. All these aspects need to be addressed in robust environmental assessments that demonstrate good design and avoidance of significant effects. Residents and businesses must be kept well informed throughout via meaningful community engagement.  

8/ Seek supply chain transparency 

As laudable as the goal of achieving net zero is, some reports suggest that the supply chain for certain key battery materials e.g., cobalt, lithium, and nickel, has been associated with unacceptable labour practices. These materials are often sourced from countries where ineffective labour regulations and oversight contribute to the exploitation of workers. Transparency at all levels in the supply chain is essential. 

9/ Implement robust monitoring and maintenance programmes   

Ensuring the long-term reliability and performance of BESS is crucial for project success. Battery degradation over time, unforeseen technical issues, and the need for regular maintenance pose ongoing challenges. Implementing robust monitoring and maintenance programmes and the sharing of operational experience as it is acquired, are essential to address these concerns and maximise the operational life of BESS projects. 

10/ View projects through a whole system lens  

The above points show that individual BESS projects are a complex undertaking. We know from experience that project development hinges not only on the ability to bring together multidisciplinary teams and skillsets but also the ability to view projects through a whole system lens so that the needs of technology developers, financial institutions, regulatory bodies, and local communities are fully integrated. 

Looking at the bigger picture however, these industry-wide challenges must be addressed as the energy landscape continues to evolve. Only then can we unlock the full potential of BESS and deliver maximum benefits to a modernised transmission grid – the backbone of our transition to a clean energy future. 

If you’re keen to learn more about the energy transition, click here for more content. You can also find out more about how our team is supporting BESS projects here.

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Organizations are undoubtedly attuned to the need to decarbonize, but readiness and maturity to deliver on their ambitions sit on a very broad spectrum. 

The survey results from our Future of Infrastructure global research report — Lost in Transition? reveal that less than one-fifth of organizations worldwide have reached an advanced stage of decarbonization. 

The issues and opportunities presented by portfolio decarbonization are different for every company, country and industry. But, some common challenges and themes emerge when it comes to implementation. 

The need for data

One of the first tasks for an organization is understanding its true carbon footprint. The lack of data — particularly standardized data — is a widely acknowledged stumbling block, while hesitancy to share what data there is can increase the challenge. But while this can make it difficult to establish a global “norm” for some measures, it shouldn’t stop organizations from acting.  

Successful portfolio decarbonization begins with prioritizing investments based on what can be measured and understood, rather than striving for a visible pathway to achieving net zero across the full portfolio. Measuring and metering wherever possible will help organizations make smarter decisions about future actions — certainly compared to the alternative of estimating energy split between different systems which inevitably results in overengineering of replacement systems.  

Projects and regulations coming down the line — such as the updated Science Based Targets buildings guidance, the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure and Multilateral Environmental Agreements, such as the Buildings Breakthrough launched at COP28 — will increasingly become catalysts for standardizing and improving reporting and understanding. However, organizations need to start collecting data now rather than waiting for further regulations to be implemented.  

Successful portfolio decarbonization leans on ongoing data collection to measure the impact of actions taken. Long-term ambitions backed up with short-term, continually monitored targets will help keep plans on track. This also allows organizations to adjust course as the situation evolves or more information comes to light. 

Getting to implementation

For portfolio decarbonization plans to be practically applicable, they must consider which areas an organization has under their control and which they can only influence, such as tenant activities. Organizations can then determine and prioritize activities, balancing what they can influence with cost and return on investment.  

In the commercial real estate sector, existing leases can be challenging to navigate in terms of the phasing of works, the split between responsibility for installation and the associated operational cost and carbon savings. The integration of systems across multi-tenant buildings can be another hurdle. However, the use of green leases — where landlords and tenants share responsibility for reducing the environmental impact of the property — is a good option to consider. 

Availability of finance is also a major consideration when determining the feasibility of a plan. Breaking projects into short-term targets can help secure ongoing investment — it is much easier to protect a smaller, in-year investment that enables a year-on-year reduction. Meanwhile, identifying funding and grant opportunities can also contribute to a more affordable transition. 

Our work with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey demonstrates how the differing needs and priorities of stakeholders can be navigated. An early-stage materiality assessment including multiple stakeholder interviews established clear consensus around priorities and barriers.  

This clarity, and the subsequent development of shared guiding principles, provided the necessary framework for the identification and prioritization of actions. The deployment of our digital tools for greenhouse gas scenario planning and funding identification enabled the development of a bespoke roadmap that clearly defines both what needs to be done and how it will be realized. 

Addressing cultural and organizational roadblocks

A roadmap should assess an organization’s ability to implement a decarbonization program from technical, financial and cultural perspectives. But organizational and cultural roadblocks can slow progress at a fundamental level. Collaboration between parties and a clear allocation of tasks and control plans are essential.  

The University of Colorado Boulder in the United States is implementing a sizable decarbonization program alongside several significant changes to its campus, including their use of space and technology. Amid this transformation, we partnered with CU Boulder to spearhead the development of their first campus-wide planning effort devoted to energy efficiency and decarbonization. The resultant Energy Master Plan (EMP) details the campus’s energy vision and establishes an implementable roadmap to accomplish net-zero goals over the next 20 years.  

An EMP can be difficult to execute because it is typically a siloed, facilities-led effort. However, our strategic approach solicits input and fosters engagement from across the campus ecosystem, recognizing the importance of each stakeholder’s role in the achievement of campus-wide goals. It also includes our web-based analytics tool Rosetta to quantify energy projects and evaluate alternative pathways for implementation.  

Essential to the EMP’s long-term success, the Energy Action Group was established to manage and embed the plan. This group of leaders is now organized, empowered and realizing rapid progress in CU Boulder’s campus energy and decarbonization goals.

Closing the gap between intention and implementation

Embracing the need for standardized data and metrics, and creating practical, affordable roadmaps for implementation is the first step in decarbonizing your portfolio. Understanding your carbon footprint through better data, mapping out a phased implementation approach within your control and ensuring buy-in across stakeholders can successfully turn your net-zero ambitions into reality.

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Offshore transmission networks are set to undergo huge expansion but developers face an uncertain planning environment. Help is at hand though, write Wuxing Liang, Director of Network Studies, and Steven Whyte, Grid Modernisation Strategy Leader, at AECOM

Such is the speed of development in the UK’s wind sector that the body responsible for the UK’s electricity system has just had to almost double its plans for the amount of new electricity coming from offshore turbines in the next decade.  

When National Grid ESO first outlined plans for its Holistic Network Design (HND) in July 2022, the system aimed to enable 23GW of new electricity by 2030, adding to the existing 14GW. In March this year, its Beyond 2030 report outlined plans for the addition of a further 21GW by 2035, by which time the government aims for the UK’s entire electricity supply to be from renewable sources.  

The £58 billion upgrade program, which proposes a network with three times more undersea cabling than onshore infrastructure, is vital new infrastructure. It will be critical to allowing developers and transmission operators to handle the estimated 65 per cent increase in electricity consumption by 2035 in a market that National Grid ESO says has “one of the fastest decarbonising electricity grids in the world”.  

How do traditional connection methods compare with the common infrastructure proposed in the HND?

The HND is designed to minimise the infrastructure required to upgrade the grid as well as disruption to communities and the onshore environment.  

It would encourage more coordination over traditional radial connections, in which power flows along a single path, with an interface point onshore. It also presents a vision of electricity superhighways crisscrossing the North Sea with shared transmission networks and offshore hubs being used by multiple operators. 

The HND vision addresses the offshore grid capacity crunch facing developers seeking to bring new projects online in 2030 and beyond. But it also presents developers with an immediate headache as many are confronted with the need to make infrastructure decisions based on a future transmission network – the design of which is incomplete.

Developers must choose the optimum way to get electricity from their future wind farms to the grid. Where there are opportunities, there are also risks.

First and foremost, developers with huge upfront costs want to know that when their turbines are ready to produce electricity, grid constraints will not prevent them from selling it.  

Traditional radial connections link wind farms through onshore infrastructure. These are expensive but offer the comfort of familiarity and control, with developers less reliant on the activities of others. 

In comparison, the HND option is attractive because its vision of common infrastructure comes with shared and lower costs.  

But at present, the HND is evolving itself within a bigger framework of strategic energy planning, such as the Strategic Spatial Energy Planning (SSEP) and Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP), aiming to provide a clearer planning for de-risking purposes. Having said that, the developers still need to make their own decision with uncertainties.

In an industry that is still struggling after the recent supply chain crisis drove up costs, and where margins can be thin and the market volatile, this is a major cause for concern.  

(It is also worth noting here that major supply chain constraints are significantly extending delivery times for key transmission and distribution equipment. The lack of visibility brings another layer of uncertainty and risk for developers, as laid bare in a recent report by the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.) 

Also unknown at this stage is the exact nature of the infrastructure involved, with competing developers using different turbines to take electricity to offshore hubs, and potentially coming online at different times.  

That means competitors needing to coordinate among themselves – and with transmission operators – to design and manage their operating environment, connections and electrical design alongside innovative contracting approaches. Such issues have hampered the development of hubs in Denmark and Germany, which are a little further down this road than the UK. 

 

"At present, the HND is evolving itself within a bigger framework of strategic energy planning, such as the Strategic Spatial Energy Planning (SSEP) and Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP), aiming to provide a clearer planning for de-risking purposes. Having said that, the developers still need to make their own decision with uncertainties."

Hydrogen networks and hybrid assets are also in the mix

Another option would be for developers to look to hydrogen networks, to take advantage of the anticipated boom in green hydrogen and ammonia production.  

There is also increased activity in international electricity networks. Ofgem has recently introduced a pilot regulatory framework for so-called Offshore Hybrid Assets, which consist of connected offshore wind farms and an interconnector between two markets.  

As with the HND, however, these options also bring considerable uncertainty as much of the supporting infrastructure is yet to be built. 

 

Offshore wind farm developers must navigate through this transmission maze. But how?

As we have outlined above, conducting planning with insufficient information presents developers with a genuine challenge.  

The lack of available data can cover a range of issues from the location of the connection point to the technical specifications of the electrical infrastructure. 

This is not an insurmountable hurdle, however. Digital technologies are playing a critical role in helping bridge this information gap. From the deployment of innovative data acquisition techniques to the integration of BIM/digital twin platforms and the use of AI models, we can generate meaningful insights and intelligence for our clients. 

We are using our deep experience in offshore wind and other energy projects (such as the NeuConnect interconnector between the UK and Germany, and Eastern Green Link 1 and 2 grid reinforcement projects) to find new ways to provide developers with critical insights that allow them to navigate the uncertainties in offshore transmission networks. 

By building multiple models of transmission systems, it is possible to take into consideration the stated design of the offshore network and produce a wide range of scenarios that seek to understand the implication of interaction between different schemes and technologies in building the electrical environment.

"By building multiple models of transmission systems, it is possible to take into consideration the stated design of the offshore network and produce a wide range of scenarios."

These models consider the complex composition of the offshore network, encompassing High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnectors, offshore wind farms, and High Voltage Alternating Current transmission circuits. 

We recently used this approach with an offshore developer engaged in the design phase of a major new wind farm. Our client was able to better understand the options for bringing electricity to the grid, and the benefits and risks involved. The issues this developer faced are similar to those many others are confronting.  

 

Early consideration of socio-environmental constraints is equally important

While economic and technical considerations are often front and centre, the importance of taking a holistic view to evaluate the wider socio-environmental constraints and impacts of each scenario cannot be overstated.

A publicly available example of this environment-first approach in action is the East Coast Grid Spatial study, which we conducted on behalf of The Crown Estate. The origin of the study “was a desire to introduce an evidence base ... [to meet the need for] more explicit forward planning and strategic decision-making with a focus on coexistence.” 

 

Planning for success 

The huge expansion of offshore wind promises significant growth for developers, but difficult decisions they make now will impact financial and operational performance in years to come.  

We are committed to partnering with our clients to support them in getting those decisions right based on the best available technical and environmental information and projections, so that we facilitate this critical evolution of offshore transmission infrastructure together. 

With thanks to contributor John Michael Dargue.

Want to dive deeper?

To learn more about ensuring a reliable and resilient power supply and why cybersecurity is crucial in the shift to a decarbonised energy system, click here.

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The emergence of federal funding opportunities that prioritize decarbonization and EV adoption, such as The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), has created an unprecedented opportunity for cities to incorporate decarbonization into their master plans. For this to happen effectively, cities should prioritize early coordination with partners, integrate data-driven approaches, ensure approaches account for equity, and leverage available funding mechanisms.

Incorporate decarbonization goals

Master planning has long been used to guide a community’s growth, focusing on ways to ensure that how communities use and benefit from spaces is at the forefront of design and planning. Master planners have often focused on clear goals such as diversity, inclusive design, attracting economic investment, promoting desired change, and enhancing livability. In terms of decarbonization planning, this can mean revisiting how people interact with infrastructure and developing goals accordingly.  

For example, rather than focusing solely on how many vehicles can be transitioned from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric, a plan should consider how to shift patterns of movement to not only reduce emissions but also to change modes of travel and reduce overall vehicle miles traveled. Resulting planning efforts should include goals around convenient journeys, multi-modal transportation options, making spaces more livable, and encouraging alternative modes of transportation such as public transit or cycling.  

Prioritize coordination

Achieving decarbonization goals requires early coordination between different city departments and broader stakeholders. In an example of broad regional collaboration, AECOM worked with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and a core team of broader regional stakeholders, including the City of San Diego, the County of San Diego, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, and the San Diego Association of Governments on their Accelerate 2 Zero (A2Z) Strategy, a regional collaborative aimed at reducing air pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through zero-emission transportation initiatives. The initiative includes a focus on making charging infrastructure accessible for fleets, schools, workplaces, and community members through a region-wide set of strategies that address areas of equity and increasing adoption.

The resulting Strategy demonstrates how collaboration introduces opportunities to support streamlining processes, such as zoning and permitting, often associated with lengthy implementation timeframes.

Utilize data and optimization modeling

Data and optimization should also shape effective decarbonization master planning to support measurable and trackable impact. In the United Kingdom (UK), the siting of charging hubs is driven by a combination of forecast demand on the strategic road network, proximity to power grid connections with capacity, and locations of truck and service rest stops. This requires coordination between National Highways, National Grid, local authorities, and other key stakeholders, further reinforcing the need for collaborative approaches to decarbonization planning.

The AECOM team in the UK has applied this best practice by conducting extensive survey work around truck stops and facilities to improve understanding of drivers’ behavior, resulting in more predictive planning based on expected demand of where vehicles will be and ultimately linking to the power grid network capacity. Moreover, it is crucial in cities and urban areas to identify the optimum locations requiring the least amount of additional charging infrastructure, but which would also be efficient in terms of the vehicles using that infrastructure.

Incorporate equity into investment approaches

Incorporating equity into decarbonization approaches should include opportunities for creating training and learning programs – representing a meaningful opportunity to support local economic development and empower the next-generation workforce with ‘green jobs.’ Estimates have shown that an investment of US$188.4 billion in green infrastructure spread equally over the next five years could generate US$265.6 billion in economic activity and create close to 1.9 million jobs. It is worth noting that the ‘green economy’ has seen its most significant jump in urban centers, providing communities with diverse, career-level employment options, with particular emphasis on the underemployed and unemployed.

To measure the impacts of transportation decarbonization on equity within communities, AECOM is supporting the City of Sacramento’s Department of Public Works, an award recipient of the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Blueprint Grant. The work includes developing key metrics with City departments that track equity impacts and align them with e-mobility pilots that the city is launching. The metrics and corresponding data are included in a digital dashboard to track and measure progress toward goals.

Leverage financial opportunities to support implementation

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law in November 2021, allocated US$7.5 billion as part of the National EV Infrastructure (NEVI) Program to build a nationwide charging network. The funding has initially focused on installing fast chargers along the interstate highway system, which would help mitigate battery range fears and enable long-distance travel, but also has funding for community-based chargers. The legislation also included large investments to upgrade the nation’s power grid and to expand domestic battery production and recycling capacity.

Cities can apply for and leverage these federal funds to improve charging infrastructure within their communities as part of a comprehensive EV Master Plan. Aside from NEVI, IIJA also expanded other decarbonization programs, such as the Low or No-Emission Grant Program for transit agencies, to accelerate the advancement of zero- or low-emission vehicles and associated facilities. AECOM has supported various agencies in the US to apply for and be awarded these grants.

State government policies also offer incentives, such as rebates, to encourage EV ownership by helping offset the high upfront costs of EVs. Several states have also implemented a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) program, which requires auto manufacturers to sell a set quota of battery-electric or plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. In the UK, the Government has amended the deadline for phasing out the sale of ICE-only cars and vans to 2035, with only ZEVs on sale from that date onwards. This is being supported by funding for delivering charging points and providing more than £250 million in funding for bus infrastructure via the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

There is a considerable focus on funding from the federal government trickling down to the states to local governments, and most of these policies are tied in with supporting disadvantaged communities and other vulnerable populations. Most government agencies prioritize shaping how these funds will be deployed to serve their communities rather than owning or operating fueling stations. These funding sources are created to accelerate private industry participation and deployment.

A brighter future in the making

Through the right master planning lens, decarbonized transportation represents an opportunity for a meaningful transition to healthier communities. Prioritizing transportation decarbonization with equal opportunity for all can act as a catalyst to improve overall master plans, develop clear pathways to decarbonization, and enhance community livability equitably. 

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National Grid has embarked on The Great Grid Upgrade (GGU) – a massive grid modernisation programme that will entail building five times the amount of electricity infrastructure constructed over the past 30 years in just the next seven. 

The GGU is likely to include several developments that will be classed as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). These projects will require the submission of Development Consent Order (DCO) applications to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which seek permission to construct and operate them.  

DCO applications are required for those large-scale energy, transport, water and waste projects throughout England and Wales that meet the criteria set out in the Planning Act 2008.  

This regime was introduced to streamline the decision-making process for major infrastructure projects, which is beneficial where projects cross several local authorities but also because the DCO can include compulsory acquisition powers.  

Where are DCO applications being used to gain consent for power grid network upgrades?

The UK’s expanding network of subsea electricity superhighways are increasingly seeking consent via the DCO process where they meet the criteria set out in the Planning Act 2008 or where the Secretary of State directs that this is the consenting route that they should follow.  

For instance, we are advising on consenting for the Sea Link project, which will link Suffolk and Kent via a subsea high-voltage cable. This has included successfully seeking a ‘Section 35’ direction from the Secretary of State for the project to be treated as if it were a NSIP. The project is now therefore following the DCO consenting process. 

DCO applications are also used for terrestrial routes and substation developments – projects which are critical to delivering clean energy generated offshore or via subsea interconnectors to customers across the country.  

By way of example, consent for a new high-voltage overhead line from Grimsby to Walpole is being sought via the DCO process, which we are supporting on behalf of National Grid.  

How complex is a DCO application?

Regulatory compliance is complex, from a technical and environmental perspective as well as stakeholder engagement.  

For example, the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements scheme in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire – a linear scheme brought forward by National Highways which is comparable to the GGU – required a DCO application which included 258 documents with approximately 20,000 pages in total.  (The A428 Black Cat project is dwarfed by the GGU, which is likely to require upwards of five separate DCOs, clearly illustrating the scale of the task at hand.) 

The process must be as rigorous as possible to navigate all regulatory and stakeholder challenges, address and mitigate potential risks and enable organisations to submit applications that are consistent across all documents and as robust as possible. Broadly speaking, the DCO process is similar across sectors, although there are always project-specific risks and nuances to consider. 

The working environment is often highly pressured as the teams manage the complex process, the volume of work as well as the submission deadlines. 

Five people-centric ways to power up the DCO process  

In the following part of this article, we outline five fundamental ways that the DCO process can be streamlined and optimised while keeping staff wellbeing and stakeholder engagement front and centre.  

These recommendations are borne out of our multi-sector DCO experience as well as more than 15 consented successful DCOs on behalf of energy clients within the U.K. 

Some of them have been industry firsts and therefore technically challenging, such as the DCO for the first Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) scheme linked to a gas-fired power station at Keadby 3, which has already received the green light for development. 

For ease, we use our award-winning work on the A428 Black Cat scheme mentioned above as our primary example. 

1/Foster collaboration 

DCO applications are a team effort, involving many professionals from numerous organisations and disciplines including the client as well as designers, planners, stakeholder engagement specialists, environmental experts and more. This calls for an integrated and collaborative approach at the earliest opportunity, driven by strong leadership.  

Exceptionally strong collaboration between key stakeholders and teams was central to success on the A428 Black Cat scheme. Even with multiple stakeholders, including five host authorities, the DCO was accepted early. 

Key features of collaborative working included collaboration days and workshops on various topic-specific areas relating to the project timeline such as DCO examination preparation, efficiencies, and lessons learnt. Towards the final stages, co-located staff were able to conduct cross-discipline meetings and reviews to expedite the process.   

2/Pay attention to behaviours and wellbeing 

A DCO application requires professionals and people who don’t normally meet, yet who are mutually dependent, to work, share, help and support each other – often in highly-pressured situations. 

There is great value therefore in proactively investing time and resources in coaching teams to build relationships based on trust and respect, which is what happened on the A428 in partnership with fellow delivery partners and National Highways. 

Wellbeing workshops, events and activities were also held across the integrated teams to help them rise to the challenges of the DCO process.  

3/Bring contractors to the table early 

Early engagement with contractors during the consenting process helps to bring any potential delivery issues to the fore, strengthening the DCOs and accelerating construction when the infrastructure is approved.  

This is best practice on major linear infrastructure projects – such as the A428, where contractor Skanska was brought in to review the design from pre-application through to examination stages. This diversity of experience and thought enables a design that can be delivered. 

4/Adopt programme management methodologies 

As we have discussed before, DCO applications can be sought for projects that meet the criteria set out in the Planning Act 2008. An organisation (such as National Highways) may have several DCOs running concurrently. 

However, the GGU differs in that it is a wider programme comprising upwards of five DCOs, which will be managed by just one or two private sector organisations in partnership with National Grid.  

We believe that a disciplined, systematic approach using programme management methodologies will be needed to deliver each DCO application in a coordinated way.  

As no direct parallels exist in relation to DCOs, industry will need to bring experience from the design and delivery of large-scale linear infrastructure schemes across the world to the GGU, where programme management methods are being applied to obtain benefits for clients otherwise not attainable if project elements were managed separately.  

(See the project case study below to find out how programme management methods are being used to scale up the undergrounding of overground power lines in San Diego, California.) 

5/Use the latest stakeholder engagement tools and techniques  

It is inevitable that the national grid upgrade, with the prospect of pylons striding across the countryside, will be controversial in many communities. As Nick Winser, Electricity Networks Commissioner, points out in his recent report: “Affected individuals and communities are confronted with infrastructure proposals that are difficult to understand and may bring detriment to their lives.” 

The consenting process rightly gives ample opportunity for people and organisations to air their views, but also for the government and National Grid to educate and explain to people the aims of the broader programme as well as its local impact.  

It is critical, therefore, that public engagement must be meaningful, transparent, collaborative and conducted at the right time. A rich emotionally intelligent approach to public engagement can lead to stronger levels of success when used with the right tools.

Advances in technology are now enabling a far richer engagement experience that combines face-to-face meetings with virtual activities to bring the project to life.  

On the A428 Black Cat, we used augmented reality, traffic management animation, video flythroughs, and virtual consultations (a first for National Highways). We also used a Minecraft model and partnered with Mumsnet to reach as wide an audience as possible, which resulted in a ten per cent shift in the proportion of under 45s taking part compared to previous consultations.  

A critical collective challenge

Robust DCO submissions will be key to accelerating the deployment of the strategic transmission infrastructure needed to smooth the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy. 

We believe that people, teams and tools are the building blocks to good DCO outcomes. If the UK is to succeed in modernising the grid at the pace required, those building blocks will need to sit on the strongest foundations possible – and that will depend on government, consultants and client working closely together united by a sense of urgency and common purpose.

With thanks to contributors Naomi Kretschmer, Bill Gregory and Phil Wayles.

Want to read more? In her recent blog post, Eloise John, who leads the energy business for AECOM in the UK and Ireland discusses the current imperfect planning system, which is adding extra layers of complexity to the engineering challenge on the Great Grid Upgrade. 

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Just a year ago, experts predicted that the world would exceed the critical 1.5C threshold for global warming— an outcome with catastrophic environmental consequences. Yet, in the past month, that prediction has shifted: the International Energy Agency (IEA) has found staying within 1.5C may in fact still be possible.

So then, what changed? According to the IEA, the answer is a significant growth in green investment and technologies.

An accelerating transition

In 2021, Bloomberg New Energy Foundation estimated that the world spent around $849 billion on the energy transition and green technologies. The following year, that figure grew by roughly 30 percent to a record $1.1 trillion. By the end of 2023, the IEA expects the world to spend $1.8 trillion on clean energy.

While the magnitude of this investment is certainly a success, it can overshadow an even deeper triumph — the alliance that has shaped it.

Even amidst today’s divisions, climate change has generated productive conversations between two parties often seen as at odds: the public and private sector. And that dialogue, thanks to the confluence of business and smart policy, is paying serious dividends.

Through extensive discussion with industry, governments have delivered spending that is not merely record breaking, but, more notably, accelerating the transition to clean energy by supercharging private investment.

High-impact public policy

Over the last several decades, government policy has driven roughly 60 percent of the decline in the cost of renewable energy — with an additional 30 percent coming from the government R&D funding in various nations. Government investment in the energy transition has proven so successful that ensuing private sector investment in renewables has dwarfed it by around two to one.

The global impact is remarkable. The costs of solar and onshore wind energy are now around half that of coal, and by 2025 renewable generation will likely exceed coal entirely. Every day, one billion dollars goes into solar investment alone, with low-emissions power comprising 90 percent of all investment in electricity generation this year.

In the U.S., numerous government policies, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, have catalyzed private sector activity in clean energy.

The Department of Energy recently reported that federal actions since 2020 have led to $160 billion worth of investments in clean energy manufacturing nationwide. Driven by strong government incentives, private sector titans like UPS and Amazon have ordered new fleets of thousands of EVs while major automakers plan to roll out nearly 30,000 charging stations in the U.S and Canada.

These outcomes all have one thing in common: they arose from governments engaging with industry to understand how public spending can deliver the most bang for the buck.

Initiatives like the federal government’s Energy Earthshots Initiative illustrate just how central collaboration has become in the fight on climate change. Launched by the Department of Energy, the program has linked policymakers with industry and academia to drive innovation and private sector investment in an array of green technologies — from carbon capture to floating offshore wind.

Connecting the public and private sectors

It’s critical that we see more collaboration. Though we’ve witnessed a significant declining trend in costs of renewable energy, those costs have recently begun to rise. More investment is needed: to stay on the path to net zero by 2050, spending must reach $4.5 trillion annually.

For the private sector to meet this demand, we need government policy to continue to unlock new investment opportunities — especially in developing and emerging markets. Moreover, regulatory stability will be important to ensure this investment is sustained.

Grid infrastructure, for instance, remains critically under-developed and ports struggle to cope with the latest offshore wind opportunities. New approaches to permitting are desperately needed to get these projects off the ground.

Future fuels like hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) demand even more investment and policy intervention. In 2021, around only one percent of hydrogen came from renewables while the 100 million liters of SAF produced in 2019 represent a fraction of the nearly 450 billion liters needed annually by 2050. New policies must incentivize innovation in production technologies to make this scale up possible.

While there’s clearly more challenges to discuss, the energy transition has shown that the divide between private and public sectors is overstated. In fact, the two are more interdependent than ever.

Today, industry is driving action on climate change — and that’s thanks to conversations between policymakers and private sector leaders. As we enter an era of extreme temperatures, two sectors long seen as separate have become perfect partners. For us to reach net zero, that partnership must continue.

Want to know where you stand on the energy transition? Read our latest Future of Infrastructure report for insights from industry leaders for practical, profitable, predictable and people-centric strategies to achieve net zero.

The post A new alliance is defining the energy transition appeared first on Without Limits.

As Australia rapidly transforms its energy landscape, where does offshore wind fit in the overall energy mix, and how can we leverage the substantial investments into this emerging industry to maximise its social and economic contribution?

In this article, Dawn MacDonald, AECOM’s Global Offshore Wind Sector Lead, explores what offshore wind can offer Australia, the likely challenges ahead, and the support mechanisms needed to create a thriving domestic industry.

Q. What role can offshore wind play in Australia’s renewable energy transition?
A. Offshore wind can play an important role in an overall energy mix. Expanded global deployment and rapid technological development mean wind energy is increasingly one of the most cost-effective energy sources, with its levelised cost of energy (LCOE) factors on par or below fossil fuel sources in many cases. The LCOE measures the average cost of generating one kilowatt hour of electricity over the lifetime of an asset and is a key decision-making factor for investors. Offshore wind projects are frequently a better fit to replace existing fossil fuel power plants, relative to other forms of renewables, due to the much larger scale of the projects and the predictable power output enabled by access to stronger and more consistent wind resources.

The offshore location also offers significant benefits with very limited impacts on public lands. From a stakeholder perspective, you’re not in anyone’s backyard. Stakeholders are typically concerned with visual impacts and transmission line placement with onshore wind projects. When we take these elements offshore, we can reduce these impacts substantially, with turbines largely out of sight of coastal areas (frequently over the horizon) and much of the export cable located underwater.

Q.What role does government support play in realising offshore wind projects?
A. Government incentivisation and support are significant accelerators to offshore wind projects in new markets. Over the last decade, the offshore wind sector has dramatically reduced its average LCOE, mainly due to technological improvements and economies of scale, based on early projects that have enjoyed European nations’ subsidies. These subsidies worked to de-risk projects for developers, encouraging early investments and development of supporting infrastructure. Today, Europe’s offshore wind sector is largely independent, benefiting from these early government mechanisms and initial supporting infrastructure to kickstart the industry.

Australia is in a unique position geographically due to its distance from the supply chain, which is mainly located in Europe, and its market size. It is very likely to need initial support and de-risking so that investors in offshore wind projects, the ports, and the supply chain have confidence that they can invest for the long term.

Q. What are the key considerations when integrating offshore wind into existing electricity grid infrastructure?
A. Generally, offshore wind projects are large power plants with substantial new infrastructure required, including ports and transmission system upgrades, to inject electricity into the grid. There may be cost and environmental benefits to developing common transmission infrastructure for the sector, such as common corridors for multiple export lines or shared substation infrastructure . However, these benefits must be assessed against the risk of over-investment by grid operators if the projects aren’t realised. Ultimately, the power user will bear the grid infrastructure cost, so we must strike a balance. Long-range planning and investing early for future development, where possible, will help us transition more projects in the future.

Export cables are some of the most critical infrastructure in an offshore wind farm, as power delivery to the grid is impacted if these cables are damaged or installation is delayed. Determining the onshore components, including the landing point and the route to the point of interconnection, is one of the more critical design decisions in the eyes of many stakeholders and requires extensive stakeholder engagement and planning to minimise impacts and ensure safe and reliable installation and operations of the system.

Q. How can we properly consider environmental impacts when delivering new offshore wind farms?
A. Offshore wind projects are major infrastructure, and environmental considerations must be front of mind from the beginning of the development process. Wildlife, particularly birds and marine mammals, is a key concern and should be thoroughly investigated during the planning and permitting phase. This means developing a robust understanding of the baseline populations and behaviours of relevant species so that we can understand the potential future impacts of turbines and other infrastructure.

Impacts on bird species are frequently top of mind for stakeholders when considering wind energy projects. Environmental assessments evaluate the specific bird species in the development region and typically consider impacts on feeding, nesting, and migration. For offshore wind projects, project layouts, turbine design and even installation or operation techniques or schedules can potentially be adapted to minimise negative impacts. Developers can look at mitigation options for those that cannot be avoided, such as developing new nesting areas or mitigating residual impacts.

When locating an offshore wind farm, commercial and traditional fisheries and fish spawning areas should also be considered to understand how installation strategies or design decisions might impact various fish and shellfish. Working with local traditional, commercial and recreational fisheries stakeholders, potential impacts can be identified, relevant processes for interaction during construction and operation can be developed, and appropriate compensation structures can be implemented as required.

Marine animals can be affected by noise, primarily during the construction phase, depending on the type of foundations used. Fixed bottom foundations, installed using a driven pile, can create significant noise impacts as the noise from hammering travels substantially further underwater than in the air. We’ve seen several innovative solutions out of Europe for dissipating and dramatically reducing this noise, from physical barriers to ‘bubble curtains’. A thorough understanding of the baseline conditions paired with a detailed technical review of site conditions, considering relevant technological options, can provide a view into the potential impacts and mitigation options for installation at a particular site.

An exciting and emerging element in the sector is that we are now looking at how offshore wind farms can improve biodiversity. For example, many offshore wind farms don’t allow most forms of fishing or extensive marine traffic between the turbines and, by extension, effectively create a semi-protected area for marine life. The steel structures and rock armouring for scour protection can become habitats, stimulating feeding and providing sanctuaries for certain types of marine wildlife.

Want to learn more about offshore wind in Australia? Watch our webinar Making offshore wind a reality: a local and global perspective here

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In response, electricity transmission utilities globally are grappling with providing enough location-specific capacity to support the rapidly expanding renewable energy generation industry. In Australia and New Zealand, limited large-scale transmission projects have been developed over the last few decades, and the need for transmission infrastructure is slowing the energy transition. Renewable energy zones (REZs) have emerged as a promising path to meet the expanding needs of communities and help our collective net zero vision.

REZs centralise investment, enabling multiple generation parties to co-locate and share common transmission and grid connection infrastructure. They unlock benefits like economies of scale through shared infrastructure costs, accelerating the timely connection of large-scale generation, incentivising regional investment and helping meet government-mandated renewable energy targets.

We have been at the forefront of REZ development in Australia, assisting transmission network utilities and government entities in developing these projects. In this article, we share key learnings and what we need to mobilise future projects.

Key learnings
Changes in delivery mechanisms
Faster timelines and large-scale projects drive the need to adapt transmission project delivery in the energy sector. Historically, network providers managed projects under separate design and construct contracts, ensuring well-controlled design standards and construction. However, we need a faster and more agile approach to enable the speed of change required to transition our network to support net-zero goals.

Australian government bodies are increasingly involved in developing strategies and projects to accelerate the transition to net zero and are bringing different skill sets to project development. Leveraging diverse skill sets from aligned industries like transport and oil and gas is helping the sector to be more agile and develop projects under time pressure. As a result, existing power industry teams must adjust, becoming more flexible and responsive to client and regulatory demands.

Social licence
It has been several decades since large-scale transmission projects have been undertaken in Australia, and the expectations of landholders and stakeholders have changed significantly.

• Unlike roads, where the benefit and impact can be seen in the same area, transmission lines tend to impact areas that don’t see the direct benefit. While landowners may support the net-zero goal, there is limited benefit to them directly from a transmission line project.
• Transmission projects can cause significant community concern and angst, often amplified by media coverage and negative sentiment.

Considerable work is needed to improve social licence to build on recent developments and work through what best practice looks like at an industry level.

Resource availability
The global move to net zero means many countries are competing for the same resources, both people and the equipment supply chain. Most countries are tasked with the same challenges to transform their energy sectors, and in many cases are ahead of Australia and New Zealand from a delivery perspective.

With pressure rising to deliver critical energy infrastructure, we are seeing innovative procurement approaches. In NSW and ACT, high voltage transmission operator Transgrid is developing several large-scale projects over the next five years and is using a bundled procurement process, with support from the Commonwealth Government. While bundling is not new in some infrastructure sectors, it is unusual for large transmission projects, typically undertaken as singular regulated asset projects. However, innovative approaches must become more common to quickly deliver the industry’s vision.

Attracting talent
The industry’s significant challenge is the need for more skilled and technically competent people for large-scale transmission projects. The number of engineers, technical professionals and contractors in the energy sector constrains the number of projects we can deliver in parallel. It is likely that there will not be enough time and resources to have the same level of control over the design as seen historically. So, how will we increase the number of people working on developing electrical infrastructure? The industry can increase participation in projects by:

• incentivising migration post-COVID
• improving female participation (currently around 24 percent)
• increasing vocational employment opportunities
• advertising to build awareness of the industry and its benefits.

Unlike the mining sector, which used increased wages to help solve resourcing challenges, the energy sector must prioritise keeping consumer power prices affordable. We will need varied approaches to address our resourcing challenges as we increase project numbers and size, looking at partnerships with education organisations and industry-specific programs to drive uptake.

As we push toward a net-zero future, REZ developments will be an important part of our overall energy mix, reaping the benefits of shared infrastructure, driving economies of scale, and accelerating grid integration.

The journey of REZ projects has highlighted the need for agile project delivery, embracing diverse skill sets, digital tools, and new procurement methods to accelerate the transition in a competitive landscape. Social licence remains our biggest challenge, and fairness and equity must be a strong focus. After all, we’re all in this together.

Learn more about AECOM’s energy transition services here. 

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In 2023, universities are facing two key major issues. The first is rising energy prices. Universities are research, people and data-intensive and consume vast amounts of power, and thus face particularly high bills. One major UK university reported a rise in its total energy bill from £30 million per annum to £70 million in 2022; such price hikes will influence their appetite for spending on new major infrastructure projects.  

The second issue is decarbonisation. Many universities are committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030. However, universities tend to have large physical estates. Many include buildings which are decades, or even centuries old, which were not built with energy efficiency or decarbonisation in mind. 

Purposeful design goes a long way

Over the past decade, brand new buildings sprang up on university campuses to attract attendees and to deploy the capital raised from fees. This is reflected in the far higher standard of student accommodation which has now become an expectation across the UK. However, looking ahead, many universities will have to manage their budgets carefully. We could see an uptick in refurbishment projects as universities assess their estates, and as funding becomes more challenging in the face of high energy costs and inflation.  

When looking at the commissioning and design of new buildings, some universities prize architectural merit and distinctive designs which single them out as world-leading centres of excellence for a specific discipline. Many universities have buildings of historic importance, or have simply become iconic parts of a city or town’s architecture and landscape. In these cases, buildings may be retained even if they are difficult to integrate into modern-day education and sustainability requirements.  

Other, more practical, or teaching-intensive universities will require simpler buildings which can accommodate as many students as possible, with 1.5-2 metres of teaching space allocated per person. 

Harnessing smart technology for campuses

Today, as in the professional workplace, students and academics are largely embracing a hybrid, flexible approach to studying, which necessitates less physical teaching space and strong IT infrastructure. Decarbonisation, digitisation and energy efficiency are increasingly dovetailing with each other. IT master plans are emerging that enable the digital student experience and teaching model to connect to physical spaces – the smart campus concept.  

Under this model, physical aspects of a university are linked and respond flexibly to their users via smart devices, monitoring systems and sensors. For example, desks in a library building might be equipped with sensors to measure room usage, and reduce lighting and heating in unoccupied spaces.  

Creating more inclusive, welcoming spaces is also rising in importance. Recent AECOM projects include interventions that support neurodivergent students and building users. Enabling excellent accessibility throughout physical buildings, supported by smart technology, is now a principal design tenet – creating the ability to open doors via a smartphone, for example, or to message a reception desk to help staff prepare a physical space ahead of a person’s arrival.    

Enabling the local community to better integrate with university building is increasingly a feature of new developments. For example, the ground floor of a new research building could be made accessible to the public, enabling local people to access learning, research, and coffee shop facilities. Not only can this improve educational and social outcomes for local communities, it can also help students to feel more at home in the town or city they are studying in.  

Meeting sustainability and net zero targets

Many institutions within the university sector, with its focus on innovation and research, are committed to becoming trailblazers in sustainability. As a result, willingness to invest is high and many of the lower-carbon technologies and materials deployed in university building projects later trickle through to other sectors.  

The net zero goal is strongly influencing university’s master plans and use of space. By creating more compact, well-utilised spaces, the goal is to reduce embodied carbon and to reduce unnecessary energy use. 

As with other sectors, refurbishments have become key to meeting embodied carbon reduction goals. In many cases, the embodied carbon profile of improving an older building is far lower than creating a new building. Refurbs are set to become a mainstay of order books in the years ahead, as asset owners look to adapt their portfolios to meet decarbonisation requirements.   

However, many universities are asking for Passivhaus principles to be applied to new projects; this may favour new build over refurbishment to achieve the goal of air-tight buildings, or divestments of old buildings to make way for new assets with assured quality. 

Alongside Passivhaus and LETI principles, other accreditations such as the US-based WELL standard are rising in uptake.  

Ensuring a financially viable future for universities

As in other sectors, there are ongoing challenges around procurement and cost increases. AECOM’s TPI indices rose 9.9 per cent year-on-year in 2022, with a 6.9 per cent increase anticipated in 2023. Combined with rising energy costs, creating financially viable new projects is currently difficult.  

Despite the challenges, it is important to note that overall, UK universities’ incomes are increasing. According to the University and College Union (UCU), in 2020/21, the most recent financial year, universities finished with £3.4 billion more cash than they started it with. The combined surplus of the universities of Cambridge and Oxford in 2020/21 alone was £1.7 billion. University leaders also told regulator the Office for Students (OfS) that they were planning to increase overall capital expenditure by 36 per cent in 2022/23, to £4.6 billion. 

The question is where they will allocate this money. Trade unions are calling for it to be diverted away from capital spending, and instead spent on increasing teaching wages, or on technology rather than on physical assets; it could be stockpiled, rather than spent. Outside of broader macroeconomic forces, these are perhaps the most influential factors on whether we will see a strong pipeline of university building projects in the near and mid-term future.  

This is an abridged version of an article that was first published in Building magazine. You can read the full article by clicking here.

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