National Grid and regional network operators are integrating more closely to accommodate increased decentralised and renewable generation.
Part of National Grid’s Regional Development Plan (RDP), the first step in the overhaul, has seen a new system introduced to manage electricity flows between the national system and South East England’s regional system, which is run by UK Power Networks (UKPN). Up to 600MW of distributed energy resources (DERs) in the South East – which up until now have not been fully integrated with the national system – can now link to UK’s primary grid even under difficult conditions such as when faults occur on the network. This is facilitated by a new system that links the local control room of UKPN to the centralised control room of National Grid, providing better visibility and helping to keep a balanced electricity supply.
Energy white paper sets out path to net zero
“If we want to enable net zero by 2050 then we cannot afford to wait, and that’s why we have adopted a ‘trial by doing’ approach, working closely with the national transmission system operator to deliver cost-effective solutions,” said Sotiris Georgiopoulos, head of smart grid at UK Power Networks.
“This is the first time in the UK that we see a distribution and a transmission system operator coordinating in real time, supporting the wider system. I’m delighted that we’re collaborating with National Grid to make it a reality, as it will ultimately deliver benefits for our customers.”
With an abundance of solar and wind power, the south coast is one of the UK’s most dynamic regions for electricity generation. Under National Grid’s overarching plan, UKPN will soon be followed by Scottish and Southern Energy Networks and Western Power Distribution, both of which also operate assets along the south coast. The overall effect will be to add grid resilience and provide a boost for renewables, according to National Grid.
“The delivery of the first phase of this project is a significant step forward in coordinating the planning and operation between the ESO (Electricity System Operator) and DNOs (Distribution Network Operators),” said Julian Leslie, head of networks at National Grid ESO.
“As we move towards net zero, it’s critical that we can all make best use of the zero carbon resources connected to electricity networks and joined-up functionality, as demonstrated through this project, will be vital to achieving that goal.”
I am not sure how this will help resilience. There is, virtually, no detail on this.
It is important to know how it will deal with the recent incidences of warnings going out of low supply? When coal-fired power was on and it seemed as if we were going to be exporting power, over the connector, to continental Europe.
Or is it short term resilience, as in the power cuts of August 2019, when, I think, some of the distributed power sources disconnected because the frequency was dropping – which, of course, exacerbated the situation at the time.
So I suspect that much of the poor supply issues are with the supply side and fail to see how these improvements will help; is it improving situations for the suppliers or improving the delivery/security for the electricity users?
The major failure of power supplies in August 2019 which hideously disrupted train services never gets a mention other than that NG complacently intimated supplies were restored promptly. The collateral damage in terms of delayed and disrupted train services got short shrift.
There have been previous close calls in terms of power supply so getting more resilience is sensible. This still fails to address the problems of intermittent renewables (wind and solar) both of which have contributed very little to aggregate demand in the past few weeks when long periods of still and cloudy weather have compromised their capabilities.
I have some very deep concerns regarding renewable power, around 2% of UK power generation is derived from this source and as power demands increase its uncertain if even this number can be sustained. We need to see from the Government their projections of usage, each electric vehicle averages 200kW, by 2030 its expected over half UK 30M vehicles will be electric, so a staggering impact to electricity supply. Expect the Government to delay the 2030 date!
According to the UK government’s digest of energy statistics (link below) renewables accounted for 12.3 per cent (not 2 per cent) of total UK energy consumption came from renewable sources. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes-2020.
Steve/Jon: sometimes “energy” is used a synonym for electricity, other times it refers to all uses: power generation, transport, heating, industry etc. The BBC frequently confuses itself on the subject 🙂
This Sankey chart:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/903858/Energy_Flow_Chart_2019_WEB.pdf
is derived from the same source as Jon’s link (DUKES) and reveals renewables are indeed still a very small part of the overall mix
Thanks for spotting this. The comment’s been updated. It’s still more than 2 per cent though!
This new RDP is about putting politics 1st and technology 2nd.
It turns on its head the illogical idea of a managed system playing second guess with these new DERs who get all the benefits of supply and NONE of the responsibility of stability.
YES we need low carbon generation and NO we don’t need all our eggs in the quick fixit basket of unpredictable Wind/Solar generators.
The Power Review in 2004 confirmed we needed 3 to 6 3GW nuclear power stations to ensure the UK’s power needs at the lowest carbon tariff.
Instead we have the gutless knee jurking Green Power Rush policy of uncontrollability, where we will have to rely on quick fix power sources like interconnectors, gas turbines and hydro power systems. Expensive foreign supplied power, as our grid managers look to astrology, crystology and every other ology to predict the unpredictable power losses and surges of Green Power.
Green Power generation is divisive and high risk when used to depose BASE LOAD.
Instead it should have been used more localized for local district heating schemes, (now long forgotten) or to isolated users where circuitry is risky and expensive.
The likes of Palmien, Robertson, Hughes, (Principal REC Distribution Engineers), forecast before they retired in the early 90’s, (after careers building the primary distribution systems at Sweb, Norweb and Manweb), that the introduction of Green Power generating sources would will bring about the demise of their and their predecessors work completely.
Sending the UK ESI back to the pre 40s with remote independent generators who seek NO interdependence on each other, rather to focus on their own ability to hold the UK consumer to ransom by power shortages by the blameless wind and sulking sun light leading to expensive energy rises all in the name of saving our planet.
Misplaced politics allowing coercive commercialism of our essential energy supply..
DER balderdash ………