
Can local energy balancing unlock stalled renewables? What we’re learning from GECCO
TNEI has been working with Regen, National Grid Electricity Distribution and Energy Local on the Geoprint for Energy Club Connections and Operations (GECCO) project, exploring whether local energy balancing, the coordination of local generation and demand within a defined area, could make better use of existing grid capacity, reduce pressure on the network, defer costly reinforcement and unlock new renewable connections sooner. A key learning so far is that local balancing is not just a theoretical concept. Previous schemes have shown it can reduce network pressure, enable both new generation and new demand to connect and create measurable financial value. However, not every local supply or market model is relevant for GECCO’s aims. The project has so far reviewed different emerging UK local energy models and grouped them into broad categories, concluding that these models play different roles depending on how directly they interact with the grid and whether they




