The energy industry has undergone a silent revolution.

It has moved, in the public eye, from being a service which was largely taken for granted to a central issue both politically and economically. The war in Ukraine and the climate change crisis both helped to focus the mind but the issue goes beyond how and where energy comes from to how it is managed and distributed.

The government has high ambitions aiming to achieve a clean electricity system by 2030 and being committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But generating green energy is just half the picture – there also needs to be an infrastructure which brings it together and relays it efficiently and reliably to homes and businesses.

Socky Maila, Managing Director of Energypeople Ltd, said: “Electricity generation is an important part of the economy.

“The target for electricity generation from renewable sources is ramping up significantly and there are a number of players in the sector, from the renewable energy developers, designers and engineers to the manufacturers of equipment and plant to be installed within substations. The business is creating so many jobs.”

The government continues to play a major role in driving the uptake of EV cars by offering a range of subsidies, grants and tax incentives to encourage greater take up. The increase in the number of fully electric cars on UK roads has more than quadrupled since 2021 with about 1.75 million currently on the roads… but these cars also need charging stations. After a slow start, the number of EV chargers is now also accelerating, with EV charging point infrastructure being set up at shopping centres, supermarkets and petrol stations as well as residential properties.

Energypeople, as an engineering design and management consultancy, is involved in many aspects of providing energy sector solutions, including this new innovation which is becoming part of everyday life.

Socky said: “We have designed a number of EV charging point infrastructure, so we are playing our part in making sure we will have EV access across the UK – but the network also has to be able to cope. The grid can only take on so much electricity.”

In 2025, there was a major power outage in Spain and parts of Portugal leaving more than 50 million people without electricity for more than ten hours. Even after power was restored, there were considerable disruptions to transport and services.

Contrary to popular belief, the issue was not essentially a question of the stability of the source of energy as much as a lack of infrastructure to support it.

Socky said: “It was a similar situation when there was a fire near a substation near Heathrow Airport in 2025.”

The crisis, caused by a transformer failure, forced a 24-hour closure of the airport, disrupting more than 270,000 passengers as well as cutting power to 67,000 homes and businesses. It was later revealed National Grid had detected signs of moisture in the transformer seven years earlier.

Socky added: “It is all due to the grid stability, the flexibility to move to another substation.

“It is down to engineers to ensure the grid is suitable for a dynamic situation. The grid, the network, is everything.”

Debate is currently ongoing over the best way to improve the stability of the electricity supply across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

Campaigners are protesting at plans for overhead lines while others question the implications of putting cables underground or under the sea.

Sarah Bown, Administration Director at Energypeople Ltd, said: “Everyone wants energy but it needs the infrastructure to work.

“The system currently being used is 50 to 60 years old and now so many more people are demanding energy and so much more equipment depends on electricity.

“The infrastructure is not able to cope with the demand. It is not designed for modern life. Change has to happen and the grid must be upgraded and updated.”

Clean, reliable and cheap electricity is the ‘Holy Grail’ of the energy industry and it was announced in January that the UK is to back a new fleet of offshore wind projects in the North Sea alongside nine other European countries.

The government says the deal will strengthen energy security by offering an escape from what it calls the “fossil fuel rollercoaster”. For the first time, some of the new wind farms will be linked to multiple countries through undersea cables known as interconnectors, which supporters say should lower prices across the region.

It is, of course, not as easy as it sounds. As Socky points out, different countries have different energy systems and use different voltages and frequencies so, again, the importance of careful planning of the infrastructure is crucial.

To plan for the future and the changing energy landscape, Socky and his team have to future proof.

“The standard service life for a substation for renewable energy projects is 25 years so if you are designing a solar or wind farm you have to make sure the substation plant and other equipment will still be functioning in 25 years’ time. The average lifespan of a modern electrical substation is generally considered to be 40 years or more, with proper and proactive maintenance.

“You have to be forward thinking in the energy industry. If you are designing for a housing development, you have to also plan for future expansion.”

But with expertise and experience, Energypeople are helping to secure the energy market for the country for years to come.