Markets Roadmap
Reform of ESO’s ancillary service and balancing markets is crucial if we are to ensure that we can operate a zero carbon electricity system by 2025, and fully decarbonise by 2035. These reforms will also help to lower costs to end-consumers as they are designed to make our markets more efficient, accessible and liquid.
We also understand that our ancillary services and balancing markets are an increasingly important revenue stream for market participants. It’s therefore imperative that we provide a clear view of how we see these markets developing.
This is the aim of the ESO Markets Roadmap. Here, we outline what we are doing to reform ESO markets and why we are doing it; to give the market the ability to build investment cases and all stakeholders the confidence that we are making the right design decisions.
Markets Roadmap
The roadmap sets out our market design objectives, principles and plans to reform and evolve our markets. It details our vision for response, reserve, thermal, voltage, stability, and restoration markets as well as the Balancing Mechanism.
Download the Markets Roadmap 2024 - interactive
Download the Markets Roadmap 2024 - printable version
We launched this year's Markets Roadmap at the Markets Forum webinar on 7 March. To watch the webinar alongside our short videos on each chapter, please visit Markets Forum events.
Document Library
Webinar slides
Market Roadmap slides
Archive
| Name | Published Sort ascending |
|---|---|
| Markets roadmap delivery plans update December 2023 | 6 Dec 2023 |
| Markets roadmap delivery plans update November 2023 | 6 Dec 2023 |
| Markets roadmap delivery plans – September 2023 | 26 Sep 2023 |
| Markets roadmap delivery plans - August 2023 | 1 Sep 2023 |
| Markets Roadmap 2023 - interactive | 30 Mar 2023 |
| Markets Roadmap 2023 - Markets Design Framework Assessment - Report | 30 Mar 2023 |
| Markets Roadmap 2023 - Markets Design Framework Assessment - Executive Summary | 30 Mar 2023 |
| Markets Roadmap - March 2022 | 16 Mar 2022 |
| Markets Roadmap - March 2021 | 23 Mar 2021 |
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We host regular events covering a range of topics. These have included updates on our balancing services market reforms, major changes to industry codes and frameworks and our views on fundamental market reform needed to enable net zero.
Flexibility Markets Strategy – Call for input
We are developing our first Flexibility Markets Strategy to set out our vision, desired outcomes, and the road map to unlocking the flexibility in the GB electricity network.
Our Operability Strategy Report explains the challenges we face maintaining and developing our electricity system and how we are addressing them.
The Bridging the Gap to net zero programme takes a closer look at what needs to be done to reach the UK’s 2050 net zero target.
Get involved
As the energy landscape evolves, so must we. Our ambition is to work with industry and we intend to regularly update the roadmap based on feedback from our stakeholders.
If you're interested in attending future Market Forums and receiving updates on our progress please subscribe to our Markets events mailing list.
If you’d like to work with us and help inform our future plans, please email us.