The electricity system is kept going, and our lights are kept on, by a continuous balancing act. Maintaining the security of this system depends on two conditions: resource adequacy and flexibility adequacy.

Resource adequacy has tended to be the dominant security concern; however the structural shift to variable renewables is making flexibility adequacy a more pressing question.

This policy insight by Green Alliance suggests that the government’s current strategy hinders investment in flexibility. The report outlines a smarter strategy, which prioritises the flexibility needed to balance the power system in the future.