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Smart grids

Editor's picks

Pounds for pylons offer has 59% chance of halting delays
The government has insisted its proposed £1.5 billion package of payments to communities hosting grid projects will have only a negligible impact on wider bills, while also admitting it offers only a slightly better than even chance of thwarting delays.
News
Government and Ofgem raise concerns over grid reforms
The annual application windows proposed by the Electricity System Operator as part of long-term reforms to the connections process may not work for some types of projects, the government and energy regulator have cautioned. The comments were included in the six-point Connections Action Plan issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Ofgem.
News
‘Triage’ process to prioritise strategic connections
The government will manage a “triage” process for prioritising the connection of strategically important energy projects as part of its joint action plan with Ofgem for speeding up grid connections. Working with the regulator, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will establish a Connections Delivery Board to oversee the implementation of the six-point plan, which aims to cut the average wait for a connection from 5 years to 6 months.  
News

Latest in Smart grids

Restarting from the bottom
At the beginning of 2019, National Grid ESO, SP Energy Networks and TNEI launched a ‘world-first’ initiative to explore whether distributed generators, including renewables and storage, could be used to restart the power grid in the event of a nationwide blackout. With the project coming to an end last month, Utility Week speaks to some of those involved about what was achieved and what’s next.
Analysis
At the digital crossing point?
Are utilities at a crossing point where data transforms operations? A recent Utility Week roundtable with NTT DATA canvassed the experts and asked them what they'd most like to see next year when it comes to automation of processes.
Comment
Decarbonisation, Equity, and Improving Reliability
Decarbonising our energy systems and economies is a critical global challenge. At the same time, it creates key opportunities to evolve our energy systems, address historical inequities, and bring benefits to all customers.
Opinion
Ofgem approves change to TNUoS charge for boundary connections
Demand users who are connected to the transmission network on a boundary between different demand zones will pay an average Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charge, under changes approved by Ofgem. A code modification to the Connection and Use of System Code, approved by the regulator Ofgem, was needed due to a number of demand users being expected to connect at a boundary point between multiple distribution network operators (DNOs) during the 2022/23 charging year.
News
Cross-sector data sharing tipped to unlock support
Smart data from energy meters could soon be used alongside digital information collected in other sectors to form new support mechanisms for vulnerable customers and small businesses. The idea is one of the main aims of a government-led competition aimed at creating a smart data bank.
News
Code of conduct to keep flexibility providers in check
A new code of conduct has been drawn up to ensure flexibility service providers are giving customers a fair deal. The HOMEflex code has been developed by Flex Assure, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and the Centre for Sustainable Energy. It sets out a range of required customer protections including expectations around sales behaviour, contractual terms, data handling and dispute resolution procedures.
News
Overcoming the connections crisis: lessons from abroad
The biggest challenge facing the UK’s networks and their partners in delivering the energy transition is the unprecedented and ever-growing queue for new connections. How can innovative practical approaches manage the queue and get low carbon technologies and new sources of electricity demand onto the grid in time to meet the UK’s net zero targets?
Webinars
We need innovation-led regulation
Ahead of the launch of the third round of the Strategic Innovation Fund this month, Utility Week speaks to Innovate UK’s Matt Hastings. He explains some of the challenges still facing the innovation ecosystem and how policy regulation should be rapidly adopting the lessons from innovation projects.
Analysis
Unblocking Energy Flexibility
How do you make energy flexibility a reality? What policy and regulatory decisions you need, what market risks do you face and how can you engage energy buyers – domestic and commercial? Find out more in this new webinar featuring Octopus Energy, National Grid ESO, UKPN and Electron.
Webinars
Ofgem seeks views on how to ramp up domestic flexibility
Ofgem is seeking views on how best to encourage domestic customers to provide demand-side response from devices such as electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps. The call for input comes as a new report from Cornwall Insight and Smart Energy GB highlights the tens of billions of pounds that households could save over the coming decades by using energy more flexibly. Ofgem said demand-side response will enable Great Britain’s rising electricity consumption to better match the growing output of intermittent renewable generators such as wind and solar farms, and is a key element in the government’s plan to decarbonise the electricity system by 2035.
News
Can DNOs make the case for smart grids in time?
Electricity networks urgently need government to make a decision on smart grids if they are not to become a blocker to net zero but will government award radio spectrum access without knowing how it will be implemented? Lucinda Dann looks at the progress being made on telecoms.
Analysis
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