Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has secured £343,000 of funding from Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance to model the impact of local strategies on the energy system to ensure they can be successfully delivered.
The company said giving local communities a say in its development would be critical to decarbonising the energy system in the most efficient way.
The Regional Energy System Optimisation Planning (RESPOP) project is due to begin later in January and will run for 18 months. The model developed during its course will be taught to local stakeholders, who will then be able to use it to inform their decision making.
Stewart Reid, head of future networks at SSEN, said: “RESOP will be a key tool in helping SSEN to work with local and regional governments and the Scottish government to understand the impact of major trends that will shape the energy system over the course of the 2020s and beyond. This learning will be fundamental in providing a resilient network as we transition to a net-zero economy.”
RESOP is one of several SSEN projects to be delivered as part of its strategic partnership with the Scottish government, Transport Scotland and SP Energy Networks.
The others are examining the impact of tourists charging electric vehicles on the power grid and identifying suitable locations for new charging points on Scotland’s longest road – the A9 between Falkirk and Thurso.