Pathfinders: Collaborating for a greener electricity grid

To achieve its net-zero commitment by 2050, the UK must connect significant volumes of green generation like wind and solar. At the same time, there is a growing need for new network services to keep the grid running smoothly during this green energy transition. Since 2021, National Grid’s Procurement team has worked collaboratively with National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) and a wide range of industry stakeholders on Pathfinders – a world-first programme that has so far contracted more than £2 billion of new network services that are expected to save consumers tens of billions of pounds over the next decade.