Leveraging the emergence of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) & Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) ...

7a2 - Leveraging the emergence of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) & Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) to support a just-transition to net zero

TrackRPG & Future Power Systems 1

Georgia Wilde, Innovation Project Manager, Northern Powergrid, UK

As the journey to net zero continues at pace, Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and their Distribution System Operation (DSOs) functions have a key enabling role to play in providing a robust electricity network that can support the nationwide transition to a decarbonised society. The Community DSO concept has been designed to mitigate constraints on the low voltage (LV) network through the coordination of smart local energy systems (SLES) that will provide localised generation and demand capabilities for consumers connected to a mutual section of the LV distribution network.

Through the introduction of Community DSO ‘cells’ at the LV feeder level, it is expected that new and existing low carbon technologies (LCTs) can be leveraged to enable communities to generate sufficient energy and utilise that energy dynamically to remain within capacity constraints imposed by their respective DNO through generation and other flexibility initiatives. The purpose of this project is to prove the viability of the concept that the network can be organised into hierarchical ‘cell’ structures at the low voltage (LV) feeder level and identify barriers that must be minimised to ensure scalability and enable further implementation across the UK.

The outputs of the project will provide a foundation for communities to adopt the Community DSO approach easily and at scale, as well as distributing industry insight and understanding about the effectiveness and performance of the Community DSO approach. This will be achieved by developing a framework to support the establishment of a coordinated, decentralised energy system in which energy communities can emerge, develop and thrive.

In order to realise the full value of the Community DSO concept, the project must generate an understanding of how a Community DSO cell would interface with the existing network and identify any barriers that must be addressed to enable successful deployment across the wider energy system. 

7a2

Leveraging the emergence of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) & Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) to support a just-transition to net zero

Georgia Wilde

N/A, United Kingdom