Northern Powergrid has released a roadmap to net zero, reaffirming its commitment to enabling the energy transition in the North of England.
To achieve this, the distributor will take on the functions of a distribution system operator (DSO) to actively manage the complex power flows that result from decarbonisation.
For the region to meet the national commitment to be net zero by 2050, the electricity network must be developed to support the decarbonisation of the whole system. According to the organisation, the intervention will allow the electrification of energy demand in “the most efficient and cost-effective way”.
A DSO is a smarter and more flexible energy system, making it a critical enabler of net zero as the uptake of low-carbon technologies demands more from networks.
Northern Powergrid launches DSO implementation plan
At the Net Zero for the North Conference in March, Northern Powergrid’s DSO implementation plan was launched. The plan sets out how the operator is developing its electricity network to meet the energy needs of customers and communities.
The plan, which continues work carried out over the last five years, lays out how to move DSO forward in 20245 and 2025. The strategy is built on five key outcomes, shown below.
“We’ve made significant progress in delivering on our DSO commitments over the past twelve months, developing our capabilities, our team and our engagement with stakeholders,” said Paul Glendinning, director of energy systems at Northern Powergrid.
It further clarifies that the vision “is to deliver a smarter and more flexible energy system that enables our customers to decarbonise efficiently”.
Northern Powergrid estimates that delivery of DSO, along with innovation and close collaboration with regional stakeholders, will enable it to deliver £1 billion in customer benefits over the next five years.
Regional efforts to achieve net zero
In April 2023, UKPN launched the first independent DSO to provide energy capacity across London, the East and the South East of England.
Analysis carried out by Northern Powergrid’s partnership with Electricity North West highlighted the regional differences that affect implementation across the UK. Flexibility was, for some distribution network operators (DNOs), a necessary solution to issues with capacity.
For Northern Powergrid it’s a tool to invest in now, ready for the future; the company has estimated that demand will more than double in the next 20 years.
A key short-term challenge is utilising existing network capacity as effectively as possible. The operator just launched its spring flexibility tender that will defer network reinforcement costs while enabling uptake of low-carbon energies.
“Our DSO Implementation Plan underlines our commitment to a greener, more sustainable future for the North,” said Glendinning.
“Our forward-looking plan, which will be critical to achieving a just and equitable low-carbon transition for all our customers, explains how we’ll operate our network in a smarter, more flexible way and enable the connection of major infrastructure, renewable energy, and low-carbon technologies critical to our region’s economic development and green growth.”
