UK Power Networks (UKPN) has enabled an additional 160GWh of renewable power export onto its network using day-ahead forecasting since 1 April this year, it confirmed to Current±.
The distribution system operator (DSO) claims to be the only network operator in the UK to have a team in its control room dedicated to managing distribution energy resources. Its specialist DSO Data Science team’s forecasts mean that it can safely allow more energy to export. UKPN operates the network in and around London and the southeast coast.
The network periodically restricts how much power generators can export so it can carry out maintenance work, but its analysis has been able to open up far more times for generation to export, meaning renewable generators maximise uptime and revenue.
Vicki Adams, portfolio manager for Lightsource bp, which manages just under 2GW of solar assets in the UK, said the company has seen “a considerable economic impact” from the proactive approach UKPN takes.
She added: “Specifically, a significant outage was planned that would have impacted two of the sites we manage but through day ahead forecasting and the flexible connection, we were able to drastically minimise the impact this had on our business and thus a number of other stakeholders benefitted from this improvement.”
DSO operations manager at UKPN Steve Backhouse, said: “We are no longer in a world where we can connect and forget, our focus now is on connecting and managing. This project is typical of the work that has enabled us as a DSO to deliver real benefits to our customers to date.”
Operational flexibility enabling grid upgrades
As the grid infrastructure of the UK is upgraded to support the connection of renewable generation sources, maintaining consistent service to customers is an important part of establishing public support—something that hangs in the balance as a debate on the appearance of new infrastructure threatens planning approvals.
Various initiatives to provide the flexibility the UK’s electricity grid needs are taking off, as the infrastructure remains a key barrier to decarbonisation. A report published by trade group Energy Networks Association (ENA) in July found that during 2023 local flexibility saw network operators tender 6.4GW of capacity.
At the beginning of the month, distribution network operator (DNO) SP Energy Networks announced that a partnership with energy supplier Statkraft helped prevent outages during maintenance work on the electricity grid.
Statkraft’s 49MW Rheidol hydropower scheme, which has been operational since 1962 and is the largest of its kind in England and Wales, provided flexibility services. SP Energy paid an availability fee for each day that the hydro power plant was on standby and an additional fee if it was needed to ensure minimum disruption in electricity supply for customers.
