The Ready for RESP 2025 programme is here to support local and combined authorities to get involved and shape these new whole energy system plans that aim to bring together electricity, gas, and hydrogen networks into a single, joined-up plan for each region of Great Britain.
Supporting local and regional stakeholders to deliver whole energy system, Net Zero-aligned planning and investment.
The energy system is changing and local and regional voices have a vital role to play. Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) are a new national initiative introduced by Ofgem to bring together electricity, gas, and hydrogen networks into a single, joined-up plan for each region of Great Britain.
The Ready for RESP 2025 programme – funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and commissioned by the Local Net Zero Hubs – is here to support local and combined authorities to get involved and shape these new whole energy system plans. Through practical tools, learning sessions, and insights, this page will act as a central resource hub for councils and others who want to understand RESP, share best practice, and influence the future of energy investment in their areas.
While momentum around LAEP is growing – with dozens of councils now developing plans – planning across energy remains fragmented and inconsistent.
The Ready for RESP programme was set up to tackle these challenges head-on, providing the evidence, tools, and support needed to ensure council priorities are reflected in the RESP process leading to better integrated energy planning.
We’re working with local authorities, regional stakeholders, and national bodies to:
The Ready for RESP programme aims to:
RESPs are being introduced to ensure that regional energy needs and ambitions are integrated into national energy system planning ensuring investment can be directed based on local needs.
The first in a series of guides as part of the Ready for RESP programme, this is a short guide on the Transitional Regional Energy Strategic Plans (tRESP) and what local councils need to do.
In early 2025, NESO became responsible for producing Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) for England, Scotland, and Wales. The plans will help ensure that local areas get the energy infrastructure they need to meet local Net Zero and growth ambitions. The RESPs will form part of NESO’s wider strategic energy planning activities, ensuring a joined-up approach between national, regional, and local levels.
As part of Innovate UK’s Net Zero Living programme, Regen has produced a briefing guide for local authorities about the Regional Energy Strategic Plan (RESP) policy framework. The guide provides an overview to the proposed RESPs and how the reforms can help unlock local Net Zero ambitions.
Regen’s policy insights paper, produced for the Net Zero Living programme, provides advice and guidance on how to prepare institutionally for some of the changes that may come about as a result of the RESP.
Are you ready to get under the hood of Local Area Energy Planning and see how it really works?
Join us for a dynamic and practical Net Zero Planning Masterclass Series, developed as part of the Ready for RESP programme and delivered by Energy Systems Catapult on behalf of the North West Net Zero Hub.
In this series, we’ll demystify the process behind local energy plans – unpacking the data, revealing key assumptions, and walking you through how outputs are generated. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how these tools can inform real-world decisions and drive your Net Zero goals.
Find out more about Regional Energy Strategic Planning from some of our colleagues at Energy Systems Catapult and other experts within the energy transition industry.
This forum can be used by local authorities to ask questions and share experience about engaging with the RESP process and all local decarbonisation experiences. RESPs are Regional Energy Strategic Plans that are being developed by NESO, using local data and ambitions to inform how investment should be prioritised in upgrading energy networks.
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