How Are Startups Impacting UK’s Energy Grid Upgrades?

The electricity grid in the UK was not built for today’s high needs for power. It was designed in an era when coal was the main power source and electricity mostly flowed in one direction. That no longer fits. Renewable energies, and home energy systems have changed how electricity is made and used.

And of course, now, drivers are also charging electric cars, heating their homes with electric heat pumps, and plugging in more devices than ever before.

The Great Grid Upgrade is the government’s plan to update this outdated network. It involves building new overhead lines, underwater cables, and stronger connections between areas. These upgrades are being rolled out across England, Scotland and Wales. It’s the biggest upgrade in generations.

Startups are now coming into this national project. They may not be building the cables or stations, but they are helping in other ways… through technology, speed, and smarter tools that improve what’s already in place.

 

What Is AssetCool Doing Differently?

 

AssetCool is a startup based in Leeds. Its work is based on coatings and robotic tools designed to improve the performance of overhead power lines. Instead of replacing the entire structure, the company works with what’s already there. It applies a heat managing coating to the outside of the cables, which allows them to carry more electricity safely.

The company uses robotic equipment to apply the coatings and check their condition later on. This means less time working at height and fewer disruptions to the grid while the work is being done. It also makes maintenance more efficient in the long run.

 

 

According to co-founder Dr Niall Coogan, AssetCool’s work targets the parts of the grid that are easy to overlook. He says they are building tools that fix problems in the system’s backbone without starting from scratch.

In June, the company raised £10 million. Backers included Energy Impact Partners, Extantia Capital, Taronga Group, Northern Gritstone and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund through Mercia Ventures.

Sam Bursten, Principal at EIP, one of these backers, said, “AssetCool stands out in the market with its ability to deliver firm capacity upgrades faster and more cost-effectively than any alternative we’ve seen.”

 

Why Does The Grid Need This Kind Of Help?

 

The National Grid says electricity use in the UK could double by 2050. More homes are switching to electric heat, people are buying electric cars, and many everyday tasks now work using plugin devices. All of this needs reliable, clean power that can travel across the country without bottlenecks or delays.

In 2023, more than half of the UK’s electricity came from sources that don’t produce carbon. Wind power played a big part. On 21 December, wind farms generated a record 21.8 gigawatts in a single day, according to the National Grid. But a big share of this power is produced far from where most people live.

That means the electricity must be moved across long distances, and the current grid struggles to do that. Building new infrastructure helps. But improving the existing system also matters, and that’s where companies like AssetCool come in.