Warning over impact of growth in industrial power demand

Almost half of large industrial sites will experience power constraints by 2030 unless more is done to prepare for increasing electricity demand, according to a report.

Research by the UK Energy Research Centre and the Aldersgate Group forecast that industrial decarbonisation through electrification will increase the sector’s power use by 78% between 2024 and 2050.

Together with increased electricity demand from other uses, such as heat pumps and electric vehicles, that will put pressure on the distribution network.

The report says electricity networks need to be strengthened to meet these new demands.

“Without further investment, the network becomes significantly constrained from 2030. This means industrial sites in many regions may not be able to access the electricity they need to decarbonise,” it said.