SP Energy Networks awarded Ofgem innovation funding to boost the electricity network in Dumfries and Galloway

SP Energy Networks has been awarded £8 million by Ofgem as part of its ‘Innovation Roll-out Mechanism’ scheme for a project that will facilitate earlier and cheaper network access for local energy projects in Dumfries and Galloway.

The electricity network in Dumfries and Galloway has amongst the highest proportion of renewable generation connected in the UK relative to local electricity demand. This can result in difficulties in exporting renewable energy back onto the electricity grid and connecting new renewables projects.

This funding will be used to implement a wide scale Active Network Management (ANM) project that monitors and manages local generation in real time, to maximise the distribution of power in the electrical network, which will benefit both existing and new renewable generators.

Jim McOmish, Head of Distribution Network at SP Energy Networks, said: “We recognised that with high volumes of local energy projects in Dumfries and Galloway, and the potential for more to come, there was an opportunity to do something different that will deliver both local and wider benefits to our customers. This scheme will be ground-breaking in the UK due to its scale, complexity and the level of interaction with our customers across both our distribution and transmission networks.”

Ofgem in their Decision said that “We consider the Integrated Network Constraint Management scheme is sufficiently innovative compared to other ANM schemes operating on the GB distribution network at present and therefore, constitutes a Proven Innovation.”