Net Zero Planning Masterclass Series: Generation and Storage

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.

The series delves into three topics: buildings, transport, and generation and storage. Below is the webinar content from the Generation and Storage Net Zero Planning Masterclass.

Renewables: Generation and storage

Explore how different generation and storage technologies fit into the bigger picture of energy system planning. We’ll go deep into the data and show you how this information is used in Local Area Energy Planning.

1. Generation and storage: What is Ready for RESP?

In this session, we look at NESO’s plans with regards to the introduction of Regional Energy Strategic Planning, as well as how NESO intends to work with different stakeholders to try and understand the local demands and needs related to such energy planning.

2. Generation and storage: An introduction to the Transitional RESP

In 2025, NESO brought in the Transitional RESP to get an understanding of what local areas need when it comes to energy infrastructure, and to help tie this in with network investment in the medium term – this will also help inform the longer-term enduring RESP process aimed at connecting local, regional, and national energy planning. In this video, we explore the tRESP process set out by NESO.

3. Generation and storage: Net Zero planning

In a follow-on session from ’Buildings: Net Zero planning approaches’, Energy Systems Catapult modelling expert David Lee, who has been involved with the LAEP process for over eight years, gives his take on the Net Zero planning landscape. He delves into what is on the market, from data sets to visualisation platforms, and explains what modelling entails and why it’s important for local areas in the energy transition.

4. Generation and storage: 4. RESP and renewables

In this session, we take a deep dive into the challenges arising from the deployment of renewable technology. We look at what modelling is available to support action, and consider the challenges and opportunities created through renewable energy generation and storage.