Across the last few months, we’ve seen the UK grid reach the lowest carbon intensity on record, achieved by the increasing amount of renewable capacity, and we’ve seen Great British Energy outline their strategic priorities to continue this momentum. Additionally, sustainability reporting frameworks ISO and Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) have partnered to simplify their reporting standards, in order to streamline businesses’ decarbonisation processes.

Alongside these updates, we’ve seen research exploring the positive outcomes of climate action, from the health co-benefits to economic returns for businesses.

You can find out more about these stories, as well as other news related to renewable energy and sustainability, in October’s Bryt Insight:

The first half of September saw a steady increase in long-term wholesale electricity prices. This was caused by:

• Increasing demand for electricity.
• Ongoing strike action from employees at the French nuclear fleet, which was extended multiple times from the initial four-day timeframe. This uncertainty around the future availability of output from the fleet during the winter months, when electricity demand will likely rise, caused an increase in long-term electricity prices.
• Rising gas prices, which still impacts the cost of electricity.

During the second half of the month, prices were stable, until the last couple of days, when long-term wholesale electricity prices saw a significant drop. This was due to forecasts of high renewable energy generation, a mild weather forecast for October meaning lower electricity demand was expected, and decreases in the prices of gas, coal and carbon.

On the other hand, short-term wholesale electricity prices were low for the first half of September, but increased in the second half.

The initial decrease in prices was the result of increased renewable energy generation. In addition to this, whilst the strike action at the French nuclear fleet helped drive the increase in long-term wholesale electricity prices, short-term prices were not impacted in the same way. This is because there was increased production from the French nuclear fleet compared to August. When river temperatures become too warm over the summer, the water can’t be used to cool nuclear plants, which means that generation has to be reduced, also known as ‘curtailed’. In September, river temperatures were cooler, so less curtailment was required.

Comparatively, the second half of the month saw short-term prices increase, as a result of lower renewable energy generation and unplanned outages from the UK’s nuclear fleet, meaning that more expensive gas was needed to support electricity demand.

The windy weather at the start of October has increased wind generation and contributed towards a decrease in short-term electricity prices. Alongside this, approximately 40% of the UK’s nuclear fleet that is currently in maintenance should return by the middle of October, which may cause further decreases in electricity prices.

However, if strike action from the French nuclear fleet goes on without resolution, this may cause the increase in long-term electricity prices to continue. If strike action is combined with more electricity demand in the winter, this could also cause an increase in short-term electricity prices, due to constrained supply.

The price of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates decreased in September, with prices for all future years also dropping. In the first week of October, REGO certificate prices for the next two years continued this decrease, whilst prices for the third and fourth years have comparatively increased.

The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, has set out strategic priorities for Great British Energy (GBE)¹, the UK Government’s publicly-owned energy company. In their statement, GBE sets out two core objectives: to drive renewable energy development across the country, and to ensure that UK billpayers, communities and the renewable energy workforce benefit from the energy transition, through the creation of jobs and economic growth.

The Statement outlines three key activities needed to achieve GBE’s core objectives, including:

• Investing in and developing low-carbon energy assets and the technologies that will be essential to achieve the targets outlined in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, such as solar panels and energy storage.
• Enabling the development of UK-based low-carbon energy supply chains.
• Facilitating the long-term growth of local and community low-carbon energy projects, in order to ensure that communities are benefitting from the net zero energy transition.

Within six months, Great British Energy will produce a Strategic Plan, outlining how they will achieve their objectives. With GBE already having invested some of its allotted £8.3 billion in public sector solar and low-carbon technology installations, we anticipate seeing more detailed information about how GBE will support the UK’s decarbonisation strategy in the future.

The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) have announced their partnership, to merge their existing standards for emissions accounting and create a single framework between them. Before now, their standards had been developed separately and had varying guidance for businesses’ reporting across their frameworks.

This announcement to harmonise existing standards and co-create new ones together is aimed to help simplify the process of accounting for carbon emissions and create consistency for policymakers. A single source for GHG reporting standards could help align decarbonisation approaches and help drive impactful sustainability action for businesses globally.

To find out more about the ISO-GHG Protocol partnership, visit here².

A recent report has revealed that the three months between April and June 2025 has seen the lowest carbon intensity on record in the UK’s electricity grid mix³. The carbon intensity of the grid decreased to below 100 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour (KWh) for the first time between these three months. In comparison, ten years ago the UK’s average carbon intensity was 450gCO₂e/kWh.

The report highlights that this milestone was achieved by the increasing amount of renewable capacity on the grid, such as from wind and solar, alongside the sunniest spring on record. For the first time in May, the UK saw solar photovoltaic (PV) generation supply over 40% of the Britain’s electricity. In one day in June, the grid saw its lowest carbon intensity ever, with emissions averaging at 28gCO₂e/kWh – lower than the Clean Power 2030 target of 50gCO₂e/kWh by 2030.

Whilst this milestone is testament to the pace of the UK’s transition to a system that is powered by renewables, the report also acknowledges that sunnier weather will likely coincide with more heat and greater demand for cooling. The growth in renewables must therefore be accompanied with increased flexibility and energy storage, to accommodate the UK’s changing demand.

Majority of businesses confirm the economic benefits of decarbonisation

According to a recent survey⁵, 82% of businesses have seen economic returns from decarbonising their operations. These gains are largely due to revenue growth and the financial savings that come from resource optimisation in their organisation, such as smart metering and building efficiency. The report states that businesses that measure their GHG emissions and their risk, in a comprehensive way, can increase their likelihood of achieving significant revenue by 1.4 times. Those who have adopted transition and adaptation strategies are 2.2 times more likely, largely through sustainable products and efficiency improvements.

Engaging in decarbonisation and efficiency measures can have multiple business benefits for those who are willing to get involved, and you can read more about some of these here.

Interventions could bring significant climate and health benefits

New research, supported by a coalition of 29 cities across the globe, affirms that interventions to improve health in cities can simultaneously lower emissions. The report, titled The Case for Action: The power of prevention to support health in a changing climate, concluded that over 725,000 lives could be saved through action regarding four climate-related health interventions.

These four solutions include:

• Heat and air quality measures
• WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) improvements
• Healthy lifestyles
• Community resilience

Under each of these areas, the report advises city-led improvements to be made, such as urban greening, cool roofs, better access to piped water, promotion of healthier lifestyle choices, and early warning systems. Notably, the report found that implementing these measures across 11,000 cities could avoid 15.6 million metric tons of CO₂e from healthcare provision every year by 2030. Additionally, these four interventions can help deliver more resilient cities for the future challenges that climate change may bring.

It’s important to acknowledge the link between climate action and health, with this report showcasing how a holistic approach can deliver co-benefits for both.

Amount of electric vehicle (EV) chargers installed in the UK sets new record

Continuing the trend from previous editions of Bryt Insight, there has been another positive update regarding EV charger progress in the UK. The UK has surpassed the significant milestone of 85,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points installed across the country⁷, with 1,234 new charging points added in August. 11,464 charging points have been installed in total across 2025, continuing the rapid expansion of EV charging points we’ve seen made available since 2021.

This number represents a significant step towards the UK Government’s target of installing at least 300,000 public EV charging points by 2030, helping to accelerate the decarbonisation of transport and support the switch to electric vehicles.

Low-carbon technologies could replace 75% of fossil fuel demand

New analysis has explored how the rise of renewable energy and low-carbon technologies could replace fossil fuel demand, suggesting that the fast pace of electrification, business demand for renewable electricity, and the decreasing cost of renewables is causing unparalleled change to the energy market.

According to the report’s findings, the world now invests in ‘clean’ energy almost twice as much as it invests in fossil fuels. This investment has led to low-carbon technologies having the potential to replace 75% of fossil fuel demand, globally. Additionally, electric vehicles (EVs) are already displacing 1.3 million barrels of oil per day, and are projected to replace 5 million barrels per day by 2030.

Solar PV appears to be leading the way in the growth of renewable electricity, adding twice as much generation in 2024 compared to any other source of energy. As a significant part of our own fuel mix, it’s inspiring to see the growth of solar power in supporting the energy transition, and we anticipate its contribution increasing even further in the coming years.

As well as replacing fossil fuel demand, the rise of renewable energy and low-carbon technologies can create various other benefits, such as increasing jobs, business demand, economic growth, and energy security. You can read more about this report, here⁸.

Statkraft agrees PPA for the UK’s largest battery storage facility

Statkraft have agreed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Fidra Energy for Thorpe Marsh’s Battery Energy Storage Scheme (BESS), which, once operational, will be the largest battery storage scheme in the UK. The Thorpe Marsh facility will have 1.4GW capacity and will be located in Yorkshire. Statkraft have agreed to optimise 280MW of the BESS, working to maximise the value and revenue of the storage flexibility.

Batteries are essential for storing energy from more intermittent renewable electricity sources, so that the UK can continue maintaining a balanced grid. This will help to increase energy independence for the UK, reducing reliance on more expensive oil and gas from other countries. With the UK’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan requiring 23-27GW battery storage by 2030, Thorpe Marsh will be a considerable contribution to this objective.

To read more about Statkraft’s agreement with Thorpe Marsh, visit here⁹.

If you have any questions about how these updates might affect you or would like to find out more, our team of experts are happy to provide further insight. You can contact them on 0330 053 8620 or at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk.