1. Smart Grid
Paul Bircham
Commercial Strategy & Support Director

2. Existing Smart Grid demonstration programme
Smart Grid Agenda
Drivers of Change
Existing Smart Grid demonstration programme
Next generation Network Management System
Key Gaps and Opportunities

3. Drivers of Change to Smart Grid
Penetration of generation ahead of forecast Will accelerate as innovation lowers price and cost to connect ENW >1GW/month
Electric cars and heat pumps will increase demand and flexibility
eg Tesla hot spot 20 x 120kW chargers equivalent to 4 super stores
New relationships & markets forming Roll out of commercial based capacity solutions such as Active Network Management
Stakeholders challenge DNOs to play larger role in delivering environmental and social benefits

4. Existing Smart Grid Demonstration programme
Leading national development of smart solutions
Delivering value from existing assets
Expanding customer choice
Five flagship projects
over £40 million
Capacity to Customers £10m – completed 2015
New technology and commercial arrangements to increase network capacity and accelerate renewable energy connection. Successfully demonstrated, adopted as business as usual in Elelctricity North West and replicated across GB market.
CLASS £9m – completed 2016
Manage electricity consumption using dynamic voltage control. Successfully demonstrated. Commercial deployment in Electricity North West underway.
Smart Street £11.5m – 2014 – 2017
Dynamic optimisation of network voltage within statutory limits. In progress and on-track.
Respond £5.5m – 2014 – 2018
Innovative techniques for managing fault current. In progress and on-track.
Celsius £5.5m 2015 – 2018
Co-ordinated approach to managing the temperature of electrical assets in distribution substations. In progress and on-track.
Capacity to Customers
£10m
Completed 2015
£9m
Completed 2016
£11.5m
£5.5m
£10m

5. Addressing bottlenecks to release grid capacity
Voltage Constraints
Thermal Constraints
Protection Constraints
Harmonic Constraints
Extra High Voltage
(132kV)
High Voltage
(33kV – 11kV)
Low Voltage
(11kV – 230V)

6. Next generation Network Management System
Objectives
Reduce costs of replacing existing grid and providing additional grid capacity
Reduce number and length of interruptions to power supply
Provide strategic platform to facilitate:
Utilisation of Smart Meter data
Connection of renewable energy projects
Adoption of low carbon technologies (eg Electric Vehicles)
Facilitation of further Smart network technologies

7. Key Gaps and Opportunities – Smart Grid
Integration Innovation – blending different technologies and smart processes in demonstration facilities at the community scale
Total Energy System integration – co-ordinating electricity and gas and energy storage infrastructure to maximise renewable energy resource capture and utilisation
Electric Vehicle to Grid integration
Delivery Innovation – testing commercial business models for roll out, marketing, engagement etc, and overcoming non-technological (societal, political etc) barriers
Stimulation of vibrant Demand Side Response market
Commercial market mechanisms to secure network capacity from network users