The electricity supply network in the UK is tailored to deliver power flows from large fossil and nuclear plant, down through progressively lower voltage levels to reach business and domestic customers.

The vast majority of renewable power plants are small in comparison with conventional plants and they are connected to the lower voltage distribution grid rather than the high voltage transmission grid. The term for this form of generation is "embedded" or "distributed generation".

Decentralised power generation has many benefits over traditional centralised generation. Small scale power generation is closer to the end user, significantly reducing transmission losses and costs. This generates potential cost savings for users and ensures greater efficiency. Decentralised generation also need not be fuel or technology specific, and with virtually all distributed generation technologies running on cleaner fuels, they also lead to a reduction in emissions.

Small scale power production is therefore thought to be more reliable, cheap, efficient and environmentally friendly than centralised generation.

There is a great deal of work going on to modify the UK Electricity Distribution and Transmission networks to accommodate the increased amount of embedded generation required to meet the Governments Renewables and CHP targets.

The Renewables and CHP community is represented on a working group by Guy Nicholson of Econnect and Stephen Andrews of ILEX Energy Consulting.

The REA and CHPA run quarterly workshops to disseminate information on the work.