The coronavirus crisis could be a tipping point on the journey to reaching better working practices in the energy sector.

That’s the suggestion from Mark Bygraves, CEO of ELEXON, the administrator of the electricity wholesale balancing and settlement arrangements for Great Britain and of the Contracts for Difference and Capacity Market payment arrangements.

He stressed the pandemic must not derail the drive towards reaching net zero by 2050 and said although there are more immediate challenges to be faced, the sector must not lose sight of decarbonisation and needs to continue to encourage innovation and data sharing.

Mr Bygraves added the COP26 delay was inevitable considering the circumstances but worrying nonetheless – he said: “I do worry that this coronavirus could be used to delay certain initiatives like that but I certainly hope it won’t be.”

He told ELN the sector’s return to work strategy needs to be carefully planned and implemented to ‘ensure issues that have been parked can be effectively reactivated’.

He added: “I am certain that the industry will rise to that challenge but it’s a question of coming out of this and fighting today’s challenges in the meantime.”