Smart Grid Consultancy (SGC) have been working with Western Power Distribution (WPD) and The Carbon Trust. SGC have been leading a project to design and develop a new Mobile APP for for customers within their 4 franchise areas to help them understand where their electricity comes from and that not every kilowatt of electricity are the same. WPD is the company responsible for electricity distribution in the Midlands, South West and Wales and employs over 6,500 staff so that they can maintain the network that serves over 7.8 million customers.

Western Power Distribution who have been leading the charge to develop demand side flexibility services, that will enable customers to actively participate in maintaining a healthy and efficient network, reached a further milestone as it went live on the 1st April.  

SGC are seeking expressions of interest from parties who would potentially like to acquire a containerised lithium iron phosphate battery following its use in Network Innovation Trials. 

Gary Swandells, Director and Founder of SGC was a guest speaker at Utility Week live on 17th May, representing Western Power Distribution to discuss two LCNF Projects.

Western Power Distribution have been working with SGC on Project SYNC (Solar Yield Network Constraints) with a view resolving some of the issues and concerns associated with the recent, substantial increase in embedded generation, in particular solar.

Recent years have seen vastly increased interest in the UK's energy generation capacity with many warning of how the lights may well go out.  This is not unfounded as there have been significant closures of conventional power plants due to new environmental legislation, ageing infrastructure and low commodity pricing.

As part of the SYNC (Solar Yield Network Constraints) project WPD are looking to test a range of techniques that involve engaging with I&C demand customers to help address many aspects of the challenges being experienced through the connection of large quantities of solar.  Some of these relate to improve reliability or efficiency, others to extending asset life or simply increase network capacity.

Hot on the heels of last week’s LCNI (Low Carbon Network Innovation) conference, this morning Ofgem has made its announcements of the projects that will be receiving funding from the 2015 competitive round of innovation submissions.  Below you will find a summary of the applications made and as well as their results following a process of written submissions and expert panel assessments by Ofgem.

The UK’s winter power supply margins have shrunk to their tightest levels in almost a decade, but analysts have warned that by this time next year capacity will fall a further 6GW to push the UK closer to a "tipping point".   National Grid’s winter outlook last week confirmed concerns that the UK’s spare generating capacity would be just 2.1 per cent unless the operator secures a reserve supply of almost 2.5GW to guard against the heightened risk of blackouts.

Since 2012 Smart Grid Consultancy (SGC) have been working with Western Power Distribution (WPD) in the design, build and operation of the UK most commercially advanced Demand Side Response (DSR) trial.  The trials were carried out by SGC on behalf of WPD over the past three years to determine how DSR can be used by DNOsin a 'real world' environment to improve the efficiency and reliability of 1kv networks.

Advances in solar power are happening so quickly that they could herald the end of the era of large coal-fired or nuclear power stations in Britain, according to senior executives at National Grid.

Demand side response (DSR) could play a bigger role in shaving peak electricity demand at distribution level but new commercial frameworks are needed to prevent clashes of interest with National Grid, according to a DNO.