How confident are UK energy leaders about 2026 – and what happens next?
Based on candid interviews with senior decision-makers, this white paper reveals where confidence is shaping – or constraining – the UK energy system as it approaches a critical point.
Ambition is clear. Delivery pathways feel uncertain and politically exposed.
Capital responds fast to clarity and just as fast to volatility.
Unstable policy is driving capital and skills away from the UKCS.
Planning, consent and delivery pace now determine what gets built.
Capability is strong, but investor confidence is wearing thin.
Support exists but weakens quickly when costs and disruption bite.
Watch as Aspect founder and CEO Andrew McCallum explains the thinking behind the creation of the white paper – and why confidence now matters as much as capacity in the UK energy system.
“Support for net zero is a mile wide and an inch deep.”
Senior leader
We spoke in depth with senior figures across oil and gas, offshore energy services, renewables, storage, networks, investors and advisers – people making real decisions about capital, people and projects.
Their insights are frank, informed and often uncomfortable. They expose how confidence is influencing behaviour on the ground – and why the next two years will be decisive for the UK energy system.
Energy leaders' confidence rating
(1-low, 5-high)
“It feels like a twilight industry in policy terms, not in practical need.”
Oil and gas executive
Confidence on the Edge distils those senior perspectives to give a clear picture of an energy system under pressure – not in freefall, but far from settled.
It shows how gaps between ambition and delivery are already shaping investment, skills and supply chains – and where confidence is holding firm despite the noise.
You’ll gain a sharper understanding of what really matters next, and the signals leaders are watching out for in 2026 and beyond.
Hard-edged insight and practical recommendations to improve confidence, sustain delivery and reduce risk.
The UK macro context: an early mover facing second-generation problems
Sentiment: highs, lows and everything in between
Policy and regulation: clear targets, tangled path
Investment and finance: capital flows to where it is welcome
Infrastructure and the grid: the new critical path
Supply chains: capability in search of certainty
Workforce, skills and the just transition: confidence, not slogans
Technology, storage and AI: less wizardry, more integration
Security, affordability and the public licence: support under pressure
Net Zero, targets and timelines: credibility on the line
Download Confidence on the Edge for a clear, grounded view of confidence across UK energy – and the signals that leaders should be watching next.
