MONITORING & METERING
ARE ELECTRICITY NETWORKS IN THE UK READY FOR DECARBONISATION?
Dave A Roberts
A key cornerstone of the UK’s journey to Net Zero by 2050 is the widespread adoption of low carbon technology such as heat pumps
and electric vehicles (EVs). But, is the UK’s electricity network ready to handle this increased demand? Dave A Roberts from VisNet, a division of EA Technology, delves a little deeper on the importance of monitoring and upgrading the nation’s electricity networks
A
s has been noted in
the Electricity Networks
Strategic Framework, the vision for a smart and digitalised electricity network that supports the UK’s Net Zero strategy must be flexible and bolstered to deal with increased demand. In addition, a greater level of visibility in regard to network data is required to make more informed decisions by Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), consumers and those that are driving innovation. As IEA explain in their
document, Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions, to achieve climate goals, the world’s electricity needs to grow 20% faster in the next decade than it did in the previous one. There is also a requirement to add or refurbish over 80 million kilometres of grids by 2040.
DEMANDS ON THE ELECTRICITY GRID The rise of electric vehicles is a key component of the UK’s low-carbon transportation strategy and, to encourage their adoption, the government has introduced recent incentives and subsidies, which made EVs an attractive choice for consumers. This has led to a substantial increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road. However, the popularity of
minimising carbon emissions. However, heat pumps require electricity to operate, and the increased adoption of this technology will further add to the demand on the grid.
MONITORING AND DATA COLLECTION To address these challenges, DNOs have made it a priority to bolster local distribution networks and implement smart solutions that help to manage and monitor their networks. Through detailed monitoring and data collection, DNOs can take a proactive approach to maintaining their networks,
including the widespread adoption of residential solar panels and battery charging. While the UK’s electricity network is evolving to facilitate the critical demands of low carbon technology, there are challenges that need to be addressed.
THE VISNET HUB VisNet’s main goal is to anticipate tomorrow’s grid, today, and it is committed to providing cutting-edge solutions. In fact, VisNet provides some of the most advanced and widespread LV monitoring and visibility tools available in the industry. The VisNet Hub, for example,
The VisNet Hub is an LV monitoring system, providing network visibility to support a proactive network and fault management approach
EVs can put a heavy toll on the electricity networks for charging. This is most clearly seen in higher populated areas where the existing electricity infrastructure has faced challenges due to concentrated EV charging. This is particularly acute for the low voltage power networks which feed all of our homes, and so many of our businesses. The rapid charging of multiple EVs in these locations can put a strain on the local electricity distribution network, contributing toward a higher probability of faults. Heat pumps are another vital component of the
low-carbon transition. These systems offer an efficient way to heat homes and buildings while
26
identifying trends in power consumption, locating faults and identifying pre-fault activity. With this information, maintenance can be
proactive, helping to avoid costly supply interruptions and downtime to citizens and businesses. Furthermore, a real time visibility of the network can help owners and operators of the networks understand how the network reacts at a hyper local level to surges of demand on a street-by-street basis. EVs and heat pumps are just two examples of
the wider adoption of low-carbon technology, and there is so much more to come in the future,
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Winter 2023
is an innovative LV monitoring system, providing unrivalled network visibility to support a proactive network and fault management approach. Utilising its unique Low Voltage Common Application Platform (LV-CAP) operating system, it can transform data into actionable insights through a growing suite of on device Applications. These insights help network owners and operators deal with immediate operational issues such as faults and their location, anticipate future planning requirements, and provide key asset health information for reinforcement or replacement strategies. The important transition to a
more sustainable world must be supported along the way. In this case, the UK’s low voltage network infrastructure suffers
from a lack of consistent monitoring and data visibility. Only through the collection of this data and ongoing monitoring can we truly understand the strain that our networks are put under, and how this is changing over periods of time. To protect customers that use these networks,
and to avoid costly downtime, outages and penalties, monitoring technology must be integrated into the grid and prevent faults that may occur.
VisNet
www.visnet.tech
www.essmag.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
