Optimising grids
Understanding capacity needs
to make networks more efficient
Mike Kay
Networks Strategy and Technical Support Director
23 September 2014
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Connecting the North West
5 million
2.4 million
23.5 terawatt
£12.3 billion assets
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UK energy challenges
+
2014
1/3 gas
1/3 electricity
1/3 oil
2020
2050
34% CO2 reduction 80% CO2 reduction
40% from wind / PV
Significant
and new nuclear
increase in
5% transport 120,000 electricity demand
electric vehicles
26 million smart
meters fitted
RIIO-ED1
Traditional
reinforcement
unaffordable
DG represents the
most immediate
challenge
Uncertainty in future demand and generation  Difficult to predict demand
 More pressure to meet customers’ needs at minimum cost
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Our innovation strategy
Offer new
services and
choice for the
future
‘Fit and forget’
Generate
value for
customers
now
Maximise
use of existing
assets
Delivering
value to
customers
Proven
technology
deployable
today
Innovative
solutions
to real
problems
www.enwl.co.uk/thefuture
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Our smart grid programme
Leading work on developing smart solutions
Deliver value
from existing
assets
Three flagship products
Customer choice
£30 million
Capacity to
Customers
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Capacity to Customers
Capacity
to Customers
Technical
innovation
Utilised
capacity
Current
demand
New commercial
contracts
Latent
capacity
Combines proven technology
and new commercial contracts
Remote control equipment on
HV circuit and close the NOP
Innovative demand side
response contracts
Releases significant network
capacity
Enhanced network
management software
Allow us to control customer’s
consumption on a circuit at the
time of fault
Facilitates connection of new
demand and generation
without reinforcement
Effectively doubles the
available capacity of the circuit
6
Capacity to Customers and beyond
When is C2C cost ... or when should
effective ...?
we reinforce?
Working with University of Manchester to
develop economic methodology
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Customer Load Active System Services
CLASS is seeking to demonstrate that electricity demand can be managed by
controlling voltage…without any discernible impacts on customers
Reduces demand
at time of
system peak
Demand
reduction
System
balancing
support
Provides a demand
reduction capability
to support system
balancing
Voltage control
Mitigates excessive voltages when
generation is high and demand is low
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Smart Street
New controllable switching
devices stabilise voltage
Allows us to lower
voltage levels
Enables networks and
appliances to work in harmony
Low cost  Quick fit  Minimal disruption  Low carbon  Low loss
 Invisible to customers  Faster connection of low carbon technologies
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How, when and where to manage LV voltage
Analysis shows much of LV network can
accommodate PV
Challenge for PV is voltage
‘Connect and manage’ approach developed
to avoid connection delays
Investigating customers’ perceptions of
voltage and if standards are appropriate
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Fault Level Active Response (FLARE)
FLARE is the first UK demonstration of an active fault level management solution
that avoids traditional network reinforcement
Faster LCT adoption  Less disruption  Lower bills
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Summary
• Increasingly uncertain
and variable capacity
requirements
• Need to respond more
quickly
• Beyond predictable
demand growth
• Developing solutions to
optimise network
• Intelligence to understand
when to deploy them
Challenge
Strategy
Solutions
Benefits
• Maximising use of
existing assets
• Offering choice to
customers
• Leverage learning from
other projects and DNOs
• Lower energy bills
• More reliable supply
• Reinforcement savings
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Want to know more?
e
futurenetworks@enwl.co.uk
www.enwl.co.uk/thefuture
0800 195 4141
@ElecNW_News
linkedin.com/company/electricity-north-west
facebook.com/ElectricityNorthWest
youtube.com/ElectricityNorthWest
e
Thank you for your time and attention
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