All Energy 2026 felt more technically focused than in previous years. Conversations across the event moved beyond connection queues, into a broader discussion about how the grid itself is evolving.
Large transmission connected BESS projects were a major theme. Sites connecting hundreds of megawatts at 400 kV are becoming increasingly common, bringing greater attention to harmonic distortion, resonance and system interaction studies. As more inverter based technologies connect to the network, understanding electrical behaviour at these nodes is becoming more important during project development.
At distribution level, many discussions centred around renewable generation connecting at 33 kV. Individual sites may appear manageable in isolation, but cumulative impact across multiple projects is creating new challenges for developers and network operators, particularly on weaker parts of the network.
Another recurring topic was multiple BESS projects connecting at the same point on the network. Multiple connections can create a more complex engineering environment, where inverter based resources interact with each other, plus the wider network. These interactions are becoming an increasingly important consideration for system stability, compliance and long-term performance.
One of the most positive aspects of the event was the openness of technical discussion across the industry. Conversations with developers, consultants, manufacturers and network specialists reflected a genuine willingness to share knowledge and solve problems collectively.
Those conversations also reinforced the need for trusted engineering expertise in areas such as power system studies, power quality and network behaviour. As projects increase in scale and complexity, understanding how systems behave under real operating conditions is becoming more valuable across the sector.
A big thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with the Enspec team over the two days in Glasgow.
