New joint body established to promote smart energy

The UK’s march towards decarbonisation took another step forward on Monday 23 October with the establishment of a new body which aims to promote the widespread use of new, ‘smart’ energy technologies.

The Smart Power Industries Alliance (SPIA) comprises a cross-party group of MPs, as well as influential names from the energy industry, including the National Grid, the Solar Trade Association and RenewableUK .

Launched at Westminster’s Portcullis House, the joint body’s ambition is to assist households and businesses alike as the transition from traditional to cleaner energy sources gains pace.

As reported by BusinessGreen, SPIA’s official objective was confirmed at the launch as giving “greater control over the way [energy users] use and consume their energy”; the group hopes that this will be achieved through collaborative efforts to encourage the development, use of and support for emerging and established ‘smart’ technology.

The atmosphere at the energy body’s launch was extremely positive; Emma Pinchbeck – Executive Director at RenewableUK, a trade organisation representing the wind, wave and tidal power industries – tweeted after the event: “Don’t tell me that the energy sector can’t speak with a common voice. Industry bodies unite to talk smart energy at the launch of SPIA”.

In terms of the kinds of technologies it hopes to promote, SPIA will support such initiatives as the encouragement of electric vehicles, the storage of clean power, responsible international energy trading and the ability of people to sell their own surplus electricity.

SPIA claims that the benefits of promoting the uptake of such technology would be many and varied, with £13billion potentially added to the UK economy, along with £5billion worth of exports. Most encouragingly of all, the body also believes that energy recruiting services could be kept busy with the creation of up to 9,000 new jobs in the sector.

Image Credit: Asia Chang