Green Energy
Paul Hutchens, CEO of Midlands-based solar specialists, Eco2Solar, and board member of the Solar Trade Association (STA), discusses the shiſt towards the electrification of energy in the UK, what this means for the grid, and how our electric future should ultimately benefit all consumers.
total electrification of energy in homes, industry and transport. This is a world-wide movement, but specifically in the UK, is the National Grid prepared to meet this demand? Renewable energy solutions like solar serve a
vital role in meeting future energy requirements, but are the systems currently in place able to monitor and react to the significant changes in demand expected?
Shifts to electrification Shifts towards total electrification can be seen across buildings and transport, and this movement is gaining pace. Looking first at buildings - the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy released in 2017 recommends “phasing out the installation of high carbon fossil fuel heating in both domestic and non-domestic buildings off the gas grid during the 2020s, starting with new build.” In addition, following recommendations from the Climate Change Committee, there is widespread
38 | electrical wholesalerMarch 2019
Our electric future A
s fossil fuel resources are depleted and demand for sustainable energies grows, we are looking to a future of
agreement that heating must be decarbonised in order to meet the UK’s 2050 carbon targets.
The energy gap? To date, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reports that demand for electricity has been consistent. In the October report, detailing availability and consumption of electricity, ONS notes “Overall for the three-month period to August 2018, consumption in the industrial sector increased by 0.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. Consumption by other final users had a 0.1 per cent increase on the previous year.” In 1997, total consumption of energy in the UK was 321TWh. Twenty years on in 2017 we consumed just 308TWh. There are many reasons for this, including the improved energy efficiency of electrical products, systems and processes. However, this is set to change. In 2017, the National Grid warned that by 2030, electric cars could require 3.5-8GW of additional capacity, on top of the current peak demand of 60GW. Another estimate suggests that if one in three cars sold in 2035 is electric, the charging of vehicles would
account for 3% of the UK’s total electricity demand. The power generation available at present simply won’t meet this increase in demand. Short power outages for homes are disruptive, but nothing compared to the damage that can be done in industry. Pressures on the grid can result in so called ‘brown-outs’: drops in voltage in an electrical power supply system. If this happens in manufacturing plants, the results can be devastating, resulting in six figure damages. More and more big businesses are looking for back-ups to their supply. So, what can we do to protect consistency in supply?
Solar, smart technology and storage As well as solar panels, Eco2Solar install EV charging points and battery storage in new houses, and are preparing for a significant increase in battery demand over the coming years as individuals and companies aim to be more self-reliant. Smart technology is key to getting the most out of these storage solutions. In homes, smart energy systems can balance the overall electricity load,
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