The fairness imperative

If real progress on decarbonisation is to happen, it must be fair. Fairness cannot be an add-on or a compliance box; it has to shape who gets helped first, where funding goes, and how success is measured. That is certainly the view of Naomi Schraer, senior policy researcher at Citizens Advice. "Fairness is fundamental. If you design for the easiest to reach, the vulnerable fall through the cracks. If networks take a greater role in energy efficiency during the 2030s, they can’t let that happen.”

Such a warning speaks to a long-standing tension in the efficiency debate: the system often rewards volume and speed, while the greatest need lies in homes that are hardest to treat. It is in the poorly insulated homes, electrically heated flats and off-gas rural properties where energy efficiency can deliver the highest social and system returns – and where support is most often lacking. James Mabey, policy analyst at National Energy Action, says that targeting the worst homes isn’t just morally right, but strategically smart. “Start with the worst situations first,” he says. “That’s where the biggest system benefits often lie. Poorly insulated, electrically heated homes are a huge strain on winter peaks.”

But reaching these households goes beyond modelling. It requires trust, communication, and a delivery approach that puts people first. Mabey emphasised that households in vulnerable circumstances don’t just need funding, they need guidance. “Advice, aftercare, even just explaining what’s being installed. That human contact is what drives engagement.” Chard also wants networks to consider how efficiency is experienced at the household level. “A warm, affordable home has knock-on effects for health, wellbeing, education. These are societal benefits. Networks are in a rare position to help distribute them more fairly.”

“A warm, affordable home has knock-on effects for health, wellbeing, education. These are societal benefits. Networks are in a rare position to help distribute them more fairly.”

Dr. Rose Chard, Senior Advisor, Energy Systems Catapult

Crucially, fairness isn’t just about who is included. It’s also about how programmes are designed. If incentives or schemes assume everyone has the same access to capital, information, or control over their property, many will be excluded by default. Networks, with their planning authority and data, can play a powerful role in avoiding that outcome – not by delivering everything themselves, but by helping to target support where it will matter most.

The power of partnerships

While networks are being asked to do more, they cannot deliver energy efficiency alone. That’s why partnerships, especially with local authorities, are emerging as a critical enabler of progress. As Johnson points out, “They have democratic legitimacy. They know their communities. They’re already working on climate plans. Networks should be working with them constantly, not just for one-off pilots.”

Local councils are uniquely positioned to convene actors across housing, public health, and energy. When aligned with DNOs, they can turn national targets into local delivery. But that alignment can’t be shallow. Johnson stresses that meaningful collaboration requires shared data, early involvement, and co-designed interventions that reflect local realities.

Andrew Barry, senior energy analyst at Regen, points to the potential of local area energy planning (LAEP) as a framework for this type of enhanced collaboration. “LAEP is valuable but imperfect, and in need of reform,” he says. In principle, however, local data and improved information-sharing between DNOs, NESO, and local authorities will be key to deploying efficiency strategically." It is a sentiment echoed by Harry Taylor of Baringa, reflecting on recent work with SSEN. “Some of the Equal LCT delivery options – especially those led by local consortia – showed how a joined-up retrofit journey can work. But it requires networks to be proactive, not passive. The iron mains replacement perhaps offers a great example of a long term programme that's been kept simple. Few multi-billion pound programmes have gone well in the UK.”

What’s clear is that the new role for DNOs isn’t about control; it’s about orchestration. The most effective networks will be those that can enable others to act faster, more fairly, and at scale.

The power of partnerships

While networks are being asked to do more, they cannot deliver energy efficiency alone. That’s why partnerships, especially with local authorities, are emerging as a critical enabler of progress. As Johnson points out, “They have democratic legitimacy. They know their communities. They’re already working on climate plans. Networks should be working with them constantly, not just for one-off pilots.”

Andrew Barry, senior energy analyst at Regen, points to the potential of local area energy planning (LAEP) as a framework for this type of enhanced collaboration. “LAEP is one of the best vehicles we have,” he says. “But it only works if networks bring their data and insight to the table and listen to what councils need.” It is a sentiment echoed by Taylor of Baringa, reflecting on recent work with SSEN. “Some of the Equal LCT delivery options – especially those led by local consortia – showed how a joined-up retrofit journey can work. But it requires networks to be proactive, not passive.”

Community-scale solutions

Energy efficiency is often discussed in terms of individual homes. But there’s growing interest in community-scale infrastructure as a more efficient, inclusive and resilient route to decarbonisation. This includes neighbourhood batteries, communal heat networks, and shared EV charging infrastructure, all of which can reduce costs and optimise load at a system level.

Hall points out the inefficiency of purely individualised approaches. “Why install 50 batteries on one street when one shared asset could do the job better?” he asks. “It’s more efficient, and it builds a sense of collective ownership.”

Anderson argues that homes should not be treated as isolated systems. “We treat smart homes as islands. But the real gains come when we network them. The question is whether regulation allows networks to participate.” At Regen, Andrew Barry says he is already seeing this trend emerge through local energy planning processes. “We’re seeing interest in shared thermal storage, coordinated EV charging, and neighbourhood-scale flexibility. These all reduce strain on the grid, but they need facilitation.”

Yet these solutions raise important questions about equity. As Chard warns, “Community energy isn’t always equitable by default. Networks must ensure shared assets are delivered in ways that support inclusion and access, not just efficiency.”

Here again, the role of the network isn’t necessarily to own or operate these assets, but to identify where they can offer the greatest system benefit and help create the right conditions – regulatory, financial and social – for them to succeed.

A Utility Week Intelligence report in association with Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks