UK Power Networks (UKPN) has installed what it says is the UK’s first ‘smart’ electricity substation in Kent.
UKPN’s Maidstone substation is the first in a series of its substations that will be equipped with technology allowing them to communicate with other sites. The electricity distributor says this will enable more distributed generators to connect to the network across the South East of England. The first distributed generator to connect is Allington Energy from Waste.
In what it calls the Constellation trial, UKPN hopes to be able to better analyse energy flows and redirect energy to optimise infrastructure. The digital substations will use AI and machine learning to allow more energy to be released onto the network.
If the trial is successful, UKPN says strategically positioned smart substations could free up to 50% of additional capacity by allowing network operators to dynamically shift settings.
Luca Grella, head of innovation at UKPN, said: “Enhancing the service provided to our energy-generating customers, and making our network more resilient in the process, will go a long way to preparing our network for a decarbonised future, and will allow more renewable energy resources to connect.”
Building a smarter energy system
On the consumer side, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) recently called for input on its proposed smart data scheme to establish a set of rules governing how smart data could work in the energy sector. It will provide an overarching framework and structure under which data sharing operates and specify the roles and responsibilities of customers, data holders and third-party providers.
According to the government, a potential smart data scheme would “pave the way” for a new range of technologies and thus could provide British businesses with scope to innovate and help them attract investment. It added that, in turn, Britain’s world-leading data economy, which drives investments worth up to 6.7% of UK economic activity, would be stimulated to grow even further.
Support for distributed energy
As large scale projects are met with increasing barriers, the UK National Energy System Operator (NESO) issued a proposal that it claims will release around 400 distributed generation projects, like Allington Energy, from having to demonstrate Gate 2 compliance or alignment with Clean Power 2030 targets when seeking a grid connection.
The move comes after other policy changes that support distributed generation, including removing planning permissions surrounding flat roofs, as well as scrapping the 1MW restriction for industrial rooftop solar and relaxing planning around solar canopies on car parks.
