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Grid Access & Transformation Facilitator

Evolve Energy

Evolve Energy

London, UK
Posted on Aug 17, 2023
Help us make a big green dent in the universe. We're on a mission to drive the global renewable energy revolution, and we need loads more people to help us make our vision a reality.
This is a new role to allow Octopus Energy to help unlock the access, cooperation and regulatory change needed in networks onshore and offshore to achieve a decarbonised electricity system by 2035 and decarbonise homes.
Electricity networks are a critical enabler in the fight against climate change. The pace and cost of the transition to net zero will depend to a great extent by how quickly and efficiently networks are built and connections are provided for renewable generation, EVs, heat pumps and other low carbon technology. The connection queue is already a well publicised constraint on the speed of onshore renewable investment. The risk of distribution congestion is looming as more customers switch to electric vehicles and heating. And a new approach is required to ensure the holistic development of a rapidly growing offshore transmission network. Addressing these and other challenges with “the grid” is now a big focus in Government, Ofgem, the Electricity System Operator and the network companies themselves.
Quick and efficient grid access and development is of key importance to Octopus Energy and our mission to bring cheap green power to everyone. We have £billions of funds available to expand our renewable generation portfolio both onshore and offshore. We are at the forefront of providing customers with EVs, heat pumps, solar panels and storage along with smart tariffs to run these technologies efficiently. We care passionately about keeping the cost of achieving net zero down, developing technologies that will help customers benefit from cheap green power and help them to reduce the cost of running a low carbon grid.
We are also well placed to help solve this mission critical challenge. Our generation and energy services teams are at the coal face, with ideas on how current systems and rules could change for the better and ready to trial new approaches. We are a world class tech innovator with solutions for optimising the millions of grid connected assets and the networks themselves. We have within our Group an independent network business ready to bring competitive solutions to alleviate the current grid lock.
What we need now is a talented, energetic individual to harness the inhouse knowledge and skills and bring it to the multiple debates and initiatives on grid access and development for net zero.

What you'll do

  • Forging partnerships between our generation and energy services (heat pump, solar etc) teams and network companies to develop new ways of working, smart technical solutions and commercial arrangements that will help unblock connection delays and make better use of existing capacity
  • Engage in connection policy reforms currently being carried out by ESO, Ofgem, the network companies and DESNZ. Use learning from network partnerships and other experience across the Octopus Group to bring fresh, practical, ideas and help to drive pace, working with other stakeholders as needed - prioritising what and how we engage to have the biggest impact.
  • Engage more generally in network regulation (including the development of the Offshore HND regimes and price control methodologies) so it drives the behaviour, innovative solutions and investment required for the effective, efficient development and use of the networks to achieve decarbonisation
  • Work closely with Eclipse and other partners and engage with Ofgem/ESO to develop proposals to open up the scope for competition in on-shore transmission system
  • Co-ordinate Octopus' position on related network issues, such as strategic investment plans, institutional reforms on network planning, and network charging reforms.

What you'll need

  • Energy regulation - with good overall understanding of network regulation
  • Ideally experience in generation project development or network planning and development
  • Project management and a track record of driving progress and making best use of scarce in house expertise
  • Partnership working and stakeholder management. Success depends on being able to pull in people from across the business and engage and influence network companies, Ofgem and others
  • Self motivated and solutions focused

Why else you'll love it here

  • Wondering what the salary for this role is? Just ask us! On a call with one of our recruiters it's something we always cover as we genuinely want to match your experience with the correct salary. The reason why we don't advertise is because we honestly have a degree of flexibility and would never want salary to be a reason why someone doesn't apply to Octopus - what's more important to us is finding the right octofit!
  • Octopus Energy is a unique culture. An organisation where people learn, decide, and build quicker. Where people work with autonomy, alongside a wide range of amazing co-owners, on projects that break new ground. We want your hard work to be rewarded with perks you actually care about! We won best company to work for in 2022, on Glassdoor we were voted 50 best places to work in 2022 and our Group CEO, Greg has recorded a podcast about our culture and how we empower our people. We’ve also been placed in the top 10 companies for senior leadership
  • Visit our UK perks hub - Octopus Employee Benefits
If this sounds like you then we'd love to hear from you.
Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire. Across Octopus, we're looking for genuinely decent people who are honest and empathetic. Our people are our strongest asset and the unique skills and perspectives people bring to the team are the driving force of our success. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute. Our commitment is to provide equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone.