SANND (Discovery)

Client's Needs:

EA Technology, Northern Powergrid and Energy Systems Catapult have been successful in winning funding for the Discovery phase of the Scenario Analysis for Non Domestic Network Decarbonisation or SANND project. This project is funded by energy network users and consumers through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), a programme from the UK’s independent energy regulator Ofgem managed in partnership with Innovate UK. The project will investigate the feasibility of developing a tool to forecast scenarios for electricity distribution network demand, combining central forecast data and locally nuanced sources enabling accurate pre-emptive forecasting of network asset requirements.

Focusing specially on the High Voltage network, the proposed tool would facilitate establishing an accurate understanding of future asset requirements. This is especially pertinent as large energy demand users take individual decarbonisation routes to Net Zero operation, often influenced by locational specifics. The project will investigate the potential for incorporating other data sources that will assist accurate predictions of the speed and scope of changing demand in specific localities enabling efficient network investment while ensuring the network is prepared for additional demand.

Our Approach:

This Discovery phase project will engage with stakeholders to investigate the current landscape, examine the range of local data sources potentially available to add nuance to this approach and assess the most effective method of using this data to provide benefit to distribution strategic network planning while also maximising benefit to electricity customers.

Benefits:

EA Technology will draw on their previous experience in managing innovative projects that bring benefit to the electricity network operators and customers. Energy Systems Catapult will bring extensive knowledge of large energy decarbonisation projects via work such as Modern Energy Partners (MEP), to ensure their stakeholder knowledge is incorporated. The project will investigate potential savings to the customer and the network operator through more accurate network investment decisions. General electricity customers will benefit through reduced costs for socialised network reinforcement, the accelerated adoption of low carbon technologies and the decarbonisation that this project will enable.