Minister McCluskey Unveils Vision for Clean Energy Through AI Innovations

Good morning to you all,

I would like to extend my gratitude to Google for establishing this accelerator programme and for bringing such remarkable companies together today. Each of you is at the forefront of deploying artificial intelligence (AI) within our energy system.

Your innovative approaches illustrate a clear path from invention to innovation, and ultimately to widespread adoption.

To paraphrase a sentiment I encountered during the briefings for this programme, ‘AI is not merely a tool; it is a crucial force in expediting our vital energy transition’, as articulated by Google.

Despite the challenges we currently face, we must not cling to outdated thinking.

Historically, the management of the electricity grid in the UK was centralised, relying on a few large coal-fired power stations to provide baseline power during predictable peaks and troughs.

Fast forward to the present day, and not only has the carbon intensity of our electricity grid significantly decreased, but its complexity has also increased dramatically.

As of March 2026, the total solar capacity in the UK has surpassed two million installations for the first time. Furthermore, by 2025, the UK boasted nearly 3,000 fully operational offshore wind turbines across 46 wind farms, generating up to 16.5 gigawatts of grid-connected capacity.

Today, the grid is responsible for managing millions of decentralised energy generation assets, ranging from small to large scale, and the only feasible way to address the real-time demands of generation and consumption is through the application of AI.

This is why today is significant; this programme is aligning your innovative concepts with practical means to realise them.

Our communities stand to gain immensely from this collaboration.

I appreciate all of you for putting your ideas forward.

Exploring AI’s Potential in Energy Transition

As the Minister responsible for AI within the energy sector, I would like to take a moment to discuss the areas where we see significant potential in the UK energy system.

At the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, our top priority is to make energy more affordable—not just for consumers and households, but also for businesses.

We recognise that AI has considerable potential to facilitate this transformation.

The various applications I have outlined could lead to one crucial outcome: a modern, reliable energy grid that offers value for money to both homes and businesses.

However, the term ‘could’ carries substantial weight in this context.

This potential hinges on several critical questions that require our attention.

Firstly, we must take seriously the risks associated with introducing more AI into the energy system.

We find ourselves at a juncture in our history where energy infrastructure is increasingly targeted for disruption by adversaries. This is a concern not only in the UK but across Europe.

Therefore, we must avoid introducing risks and vulnerabilities into our system through technologies that remain inadequately explored.

Secondly, we need to maintain public consent.

Every technological and industrial revolution has prompted discussions about its implications for society and our way of life.

It is our responsibility as politicians to engage with these questions, and the public has every right to demand transparency regarding our positions and to ensure we are acting responsibly.

Consequently, we have a duty, both as a government in this country and among our European counterparts, to responsibly design and deliver the infrastructure that supports the AI revolution.

Just as we aim to do with our clean energy revolution, we must ensure that communities are included and able to benefit from this generational upgrade.

The Imperative of Future-Ready Energy Systems

Let me also emphasise this: citizens across the nation will not forgive governments that fail to prepare for the future.

AI is set to play a crucial role, not only in modernising our energy system but also in enhancing our industries’ competitiveness on the global stage and safeguarding our national security.

These are significant challenges that the government grapples with as we navigate this rapidly evolving technology landscape. The UK government is committed to keeping pace with these developments and harnessing them for the public good.

We are merely at the beginning of this journey, and there is much to learn in the years ahead. However, I would like to share three initiatives we are currently undertaking.

Firstly, we are launching our AI for Clean Energy vision today, seeking insights on how AI could revolutionise our energy system.

This Vision outlines preliminary thoughts on how AI can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and bolster energy security.

We aim to initiate a dialogue with the public, industry, and other stakeholders to explore the pressing questions we face.

These include the role of government, the long-term impact of AI on our energy system, how to recognise and mitigate associated risks, and how to identify and overcome barriers to adoption.

The insights garnered from this discourse will inform the foundation of the AI in Energy Strategy, which we plan to publish next year.

Addressing Barriers to AI Adoption

Secondly, we are set to release an independent review of AI deployment within our electricity networks.

I would like to extend my thanks to Lucy Yu, our AI Energy Champion, for her exemplary work on this initiative.

The review presents a series of recommendations aimed at guiding government efforts towards a probabilistic grid, which promises tangible benefits for consumers, establishes clear governance, and accelerates the deployment of AI solutions.

This is groundbreaking work, pushing the boundaries of global thought on AI deployment within the energy sector.

Lastly, our Interim AI Adoption Plan, published in June of this year, identifies four key barriers to adoption: the need for improved data, clearer pathways from innovation to deployment, trusted governance frameworks, and the necessary skills and capabilities to scale solutions across the system.

For start-ups, like those present here today, these barriers can also represent market opportunities.

They provide avenues to unlock high-value datasets, enhance the safety and resilience of critical infrastructure, bridge the gap between successful pilots and nationwide implementation, and develop trusted AI systems that regulators, operators, and consumers can rely on.

Capitalising on the UK’s Strengths

Let us not forget where we begin: the UK possesses a position of strength.

We are home to world-class universities, a thriving technology ecosystem, and leading renewable energy deployment.

Moreover, British companies are already creating exportable AI-enabled solutions for the energy sector.

We are actively working to prepare our energy system to embrace the AI solutions you are currently developing.

This is about exploring the potential of AI within our energy network to ensure we are ready when the technology matures.

It is vital we effectively communicate this to the public.

This is uncharted territory for all of us, and we bear a significant responsibility to not only formulate policy but also to elucidate to the public the rationale behind our actions.

We stand at the threshold of a transformative frontier in the energy sector, where AI has the potential to address many of the challenges that have previously hindered progress.

In closing, I would like to congratulate each of you for the tremendous achievement of being here today.

You are on the path to addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing our energy industry.

My final message is straightforward: we need your ideas, your ambition, and your willingness to confront some of the most difficult problems within the energy system.

The transition to clean power that we are currently undertaking in the UK is one of the most significant national projects of our time.

AI can accelerate this transition and has the potential to unlock a more affordable, equitable, and straightforward energy system for millions of people.

Thank you.