Inside ELCC 2026: a turning point for energy consultants
On Tuesday, our team headed to The University of Chicago Booth School of Business in London for ELCC 2026 — the must-attend event for energy consultants, brokers and TPIs. We came away with a clear picture of where the industry is heading, and a renewed sense of why we do what we do.
If last year's sold-out edition signalled how much pressure the broker community is under, this year's agenda made it crystal clear: the rules of the game are changing — and changing fast. Two themes dominated the day, and both have direct implications for the businesses we work with.
A big shake-up is coming for consultants
Volatile wholesale markets, an evolving net zero agenda and Ofgem's incoming TPI regulation framework dominated the morning's conversations. The message from speakers and delegates was consistent: consultants who treat clients as transactions will struggle to stay relevant. Those who lean into transparency, depth of expertise and genuine partnership will be the ones who thrive.
That's a future we're already built for. We've always positioned ourselves as an extension of our clients' businesses — reliable, responsive, and on their side. The direction of travel from regulators only reinforces that approach, and frankly, we welcome it. A more accountable industry is a better industry for the businesses paying the bills.
"The consultants who treat clients as long-term partners — not transactions — are the ones who'll define the next decade."
MHHS: brokers, get ready
The other big talking point was Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement (MHHS). With migration underway and full rollout targeted by 2027, suppliers, brokers and end-users all need to be preparing now — not later.
MHHS will fundamentally reshape how electricity is settled, billed and procured. For our clients, that means new tariff structures, fresh opportunities to manage consumption around peak periods, and inevitably some change to how contracts look and feel. Behind-the-scenes detail — MPAN changes, new settlement codes, profile classes phasing out — will quietly filter through to invoices over the next eighteen months.
Our job, as always, is to cut through the noise so you don't have to. We're already working with clients to make sure their procurement strategies, contract terms and metering arrangements are MHHS-ready, and we'll be sharing more guidance on this in the coming weeks.
The takeaway
ELCC reminded us why we do what we do. The market is shifting, regulation is tightening, and the businesses we work with deserve a procurement partner who's three steps ahead — not catching up. We left energised, full of ideas, and more confident than ever in the value we deliver to the businesses who trust us with their utilities.
Thank you to the Energy Live team and to everyone who stopped by for a chat — it's always the conversations between the sessions that make these events worth attending.
