Transcript Document

LV Network Templates for a Lowcarbon Future
Tuesday 19th October 2010
The Project – LV Network Templates for a
Low-carbon Future
To identify the impact of green technology on the LV Network by monitoring of 1,000
distribution substations and 7,000 feeder-end points
LV substation
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Integrated into a wider UK energy system
Assist National Grid to reduce the need for high-carbon spinning reserve generation
Solar Water Heating-688
The Renewable Heat
Incentive (RHI) is a
government backed
scheme which is planned to
be introduced in the UK in
April 2011. Scheme will pay
up to 18p/Kwh for the heat
generated.
Photovoltaic912
The Feed-in Tariff scheme
provides homeowners with
a payment for every unit of
electricity produced from
through solar panels for
the next 25 years.
Solid Wall Insulation64
CERT initiative-to install
solid wall insulation to
40,000 homes over 3
years to 2011.
External wall insulation2198
CESP grants
Air Source Heat
Pump- 62
CERT/CESP initiatives
Additional installations from
npower via CERT/CESP
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Benefits delivered by the project
The project will deliver visibility of the impacts of renewable energy on the Low Voltage
network enabling DNOs and National Grid to manage their networks effectively
Project cost of c.£9m, plus an additional
c.£7.5m of funding via WAG & npower
CERT/CESP initiatives
•UK wide applicability-Provides a model for
other DNOs to use for future planning to:
• assess the impacts of green
technology on their network
•Identify ‘headroom’ (kVA and volts)
available to accommodate the
demands of low-carbon stresses
•provide visibility of network losses
to reduce customer bills
•Impact on network of sustainable housing
•Data available to academia at no cost
• Limited policy changes required
• Opens markets for new generation
technologies
• Low-carbon deployment of project
technology
Encompasses 10% of
South Wales population
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City/Town
Semi-Urban
Rural
" Western Power Distribution began promoting such a project before
the low carbon networks fund was conceived. I have personally
been in discussion and given presentations to key personnel in
Ofgem and to DECC, including the then Energy Minister, Lord Hunt.
None of the Senior Management of Ofgem should be in any doubt
over my commitment to the pursuit and success of this project”
Robert Symons-CEO Western Power Distribution
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APPENDICES
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Appendix Contents
• Reference table of Appendix documents submitted as part of the
proposal
• Project Success Criteria:
 Accelerates the development of a low carbon energy sector
 Has the potential to deliver net benefits to existing and/or future
customers
 Direct Impact on the operation of the Distribution System
 Generates new knowledge that can be shared amongst all DNOs
 Relevance and timing
 Demonstration of a robust methodology and that the project is ready
to implement
• Project Milestones
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Appendix Documents submitted
Appendix A
Full Submission Spreadsheet
Appendix B
Maps and network diagrams
Appendix C
Organogram
Appendix D
Project plan
Appendix E
Information sources referenced in Box 15
Summary
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If DNOs include further information attached to this Pro-forma than that
required by Ofgem then they must provide an executive summary of that
information in less than 1000 words which should be attached to this
pro-forma after Appendix D, and before the numbered appendices. All
further details in the numbered appendices must be clearly referenced in
the text in the pro-forma.
Appendix 1
University of Bath letter of engagement and support, and their data
analysis methodology
Appendix 2
Memorandum of Understanding between WPD and npower
Appendix 3
Customer communications pack
Appendix 4
Installing monitoring in LV substations
Appendix 5
Support letters – University of Bristol / WAG
Appendix 6
Sample extract of Arbed data (anonymised)
Appendix 7
RFQ issued to monitor installers re the installation of voltage sensors at
end of feeders / Provisional design of end-of-feeder voltage monitors
Appendix 8
An overview on the concept of network templates
Project Success Criteria
Accelerates the development of a low carbon energy sector

Excellent foundation for assessing network requirements for LV-connected demands and
stresses

Establishes capacity and voltage ‘headroom visibility’ through network monitoring

Measures low-carbon stresses through templates, aiding design and planning of UK networks

Low-carbon generation information to National Grid

Dynamic voltage control, demand response, smart metering, network pricing, load management
and integrated generation scheduling

Accurate voltage readings to provide an understanding of the potential to reduce LV average and
maximum voltages in the UK
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Project Success Criteria
Has the potential to deliver net benefits to existing and/or future customers

GB wide benefits have been estimated conservatively

Reduction in customer bills by having greater visibility of network losses

The net UK benefits are:
 Incorporating microgeneration scheduling into National Grid scheduling and dispatch
 Template re-use – DNOs need not monitor a proportion of their networks
 Reduction in transformer failure due to reduced overloading
 Loss reduction benefit through substation sensing of transformer loads
 Energy saving benefit, as a result of better utilisation of voltage tolerance
 Network deferral benefits, by establishing whether further demand and DG on the
network can be accommodated
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Project Success Criteria
Direct Impact on the operation of the Distribution System

Future low voltage network developments by obtaining LV network power quality
characteristics

Utilises existing technologies (sensors, comms), offering lower risk and thus greater likelihood
of success and therefore exhibit a greater positive impact on the Distribution System

No complex customer risk

Utilises existing programmes – CESP/CERT and Arbed – increasing the replicability of the
generated network templates
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Project Success Criteria
Generates new knowledge that can be shared amongst all DNOs

Robust data on data quality in the LV network in South Wales as a variety of low-carbon stresses
are applied

Will provide National Grid with near real-time generation data from microgeneration

Learnings will allow DNOs to:
 a) categorise areas of their networks by applying the ‘template test’, which will then suggest
what template the area most resembles

b) understand how the area will react to low-carbon stresses and benefits
 c) determine whether sensors are likely to be required in their network areas

Information dissemination will take place through the official channels as requested by Ofgem, as
well as academic and, where appropriate, public and industry disseminations
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Project Success Criteria
Relevance and timing of project

Specific need in the Government’s Smart Metering Implementation Programme, around the
invisibility of the LV network to network operators

Greater visibility of the LV network, critical to introducing renewable and low-carbon
generation and storage

Project is timely for a number of reasons:

a number of Government initiatives and targets are in flow: the 2050 Pathways
document, the Low Carbon Transition Plan, and various numbers around the estimated
quantity of low-carbon generation and EV rollouts, all point to the requirement to have
access to high-quality data about the LV network
 Will drive through results in time to impact business plan submissions for DCPR6
 Supports the movement towards retail-led smart metering and helps the network be
ready for the increase in low-carbon microgeneration
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Project Success Criteria
Demonstration of a robust methodology and that the project is ready to implement

Memorandum of Understanding with npower (MOU-see Appendix 2 for a copy of this)

Logistics around procurement and deployment have already been put in place (see Appendix
7 for evidence of establishing installation costs of monitors)

WPD board has approved the hiring of LCN Fund project managers to oversee the project

Templates that will be used to assess network characteristics already exist

Project cost savings, reduced complexity and risk -The partners involved (primarily through
WAG) are operating independently of the LCN Fund

Solution is relatively straightforward – the technology exists and the monitoring and
integration with existing WPD hardware and software has been done previously

Reaches a wide spectrum of microgeneration sites and substations

Customer communications pack has already been put together with consultation from
Consumer Focus and the supplier community for appropriateness
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Project Milestones
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