We are delighted to announce the launch of Grayling Energy, a new full-service, UK-wide energy division, comprising a team of experts across public affairs, communications, planning and infrastructure, creative, digital and data analytics.

Our mission

Our mission is to deliver a step-change in how we support energy clients across the UK, reflecting the pace of the energy transition and drive towards net zero.

We will equip business and energy leaders with the strategic counsel and public insight they need to stay ahead of public sentiment and successfully navigate one of the most important transitions in decades.

A comprehensive 360° energy service

Grayling Energy will deliver a 360° service to clients, incorporating a UK-wide team of more than 30 energy experts, research and data analysts, creatives and campaigners, operating as one team across Grayling’s nine office in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton and Cardiff.

Our approach is rooted in Grayling’s unmatched UK-wide footprint, depth of talent and a long-standing track record of supporting clients across the energy value chain – from major energy generation projects and transmission infrastructure to end-use and behavior change.

The new unit will provide clients with an integrated communications, policy and stakeholder engagement offer that will support them to translate complex policy and technical challenges into accessible, high-impact campaigns tailored to policymakers, local communities, and the media.

A new source of energy research and public polling

Grayling Energy is launched alongside a new research report: Power, Perception, and Progress: Public opinion, political trust, and the next phase of the UK energy transition.

The report explores a UK-wide analysis of public attitudes towards the government’s key energy reforms, including the transition to net zero and its flagship Clean Power 2030 target.

It includes exclusive research with 2,000 members of the public – conducted across all demographics and regions in the UK – and reveals striking insights into the challenges facing the Government and its clean energy ambitions.

Key findings include:

–  Affordability dominates across all demographics: 61% say cutting household energy bills should be the top priority for government energy policy – more than double the number prioritising decarbonisation (24%).

–  Energy security now outranks climate action: 58% would accept a delay to net zero targets if it helped avoid blackouts, as seen in Spain and Portugal in April 2025, or further price rises.

–  Fairness concerns are rising: Just 13% believe the energy transition is being delivered fairly across the UK. This sentiment is most pronounced in the North East and East Midlands, where voters feel least confident their regions are benefiting from investment.

Given this sentiment, UK businesses and organisations striving to support clean power targets have some serious challenges ahead of them. There are still a lot of people pushing for energy decarbonisation, but the viewpoints of sceptics cannot be ignored.

Designed to respond to the fast-evolving energy landscape

Grayling Energy was conceived by Heather Blundell, Grayling’s UK CEO, with the strategic aim of delivering a step-change in how Grayling supports clients across the UK.

It responds to growing demand from our energy clients and across the sector for holistic, cross-discipline communications and engagement services that span the UK.

Speaking at the launch, Heather said: “Our exclusive data shows the energy transition is increasingly shaped by complex political and social fault lines – emerging at a time when both the energy system and political leadership are under pressure to deliver faster, at greater scale and with more transparency than ever before. 

We’re committed to furthering the UK’s efforts to decarbonise its power supplies, but these results make it abundantly clear that decarbonisation is not the public’s top priority right now. Businesses will need to find a careful balance between seeking progress and not alienating the public.

That’s why we’ve launched Grayling Energy: to deliver a step-change in how we support clients across the UK. Our mission is to equip business and energy leaders with the strategic counsel and insight they need to stay ahead of public sentiment and thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape.
 
The creation of Grayling Energy follows Grayling’s recent launches of Grayling Planning & Infrastructure, Grayling Media and Grayling Health. “

Getting involved

For more information about Grayling Energy and how we can support you, please contact: energy@grayling.com

Download the full report below.