• Challenges from moving to a low carbon electricity system with increased variable wind generation and larger nuclear power stations are manageable
• Extra back-up generation not the only solution - energy storage, electric cars and smart metering enabled control systems could all play a part
• National Grid’s report marks a significant step forward in the debate - company’s industry consultation will gather more information on the different options
Balancing electricity supply and demand second by second is a complex business, as one look at National Grid’s hi-tech control centre will tell you. But operating the system is set to become even more complex in the coming decades, especially with large amounts of variable wind generation and much larger nuclear power stations connecting to the networks.
National Grid has today published a report showing that these new challenges can be met. It consists of 82 pages of comment and analysis on the different options for future tools to balance supply and demand. It marks the launch of an industry consultation to gather views, refine the analysis and ensure that the industry is ready for the radically different future it faces.
The report shows that extra back-up generation is not the only way to manage wind intermittency and larger nuclear plants, painting a possible vision of the future where new technology plays a strong role, and where consumers have a much more active involvement in the energy market:
• Smart meters and smart grids could allow electricity demand to be more actively managed. This is not just about more sophisticated “Economy 7” style tariffs encouraging off peak electricity use – aggregation services would allow consumers to profit from offering “balancing services” to National Grid, automatically shifting demand around the day at minimum inconvenience, for example:
• Fridges in your home and at the local supermarket turn on and off throughout the day, but ensuring thousands of fridges all turn off at the right time would be a very helpful balancing tool
• Electric vehicles can be a benefit and not a burden to the network, providing another bloc of demand that can be encouraged to move to the most helpful times of the day
• Storage could play a much larger role:
• traditionally, it has not been easy to store bulk quantities of electricity, but new battery technology and supercapacitors (enormously more powerful than the capacitors commonly found in electrical appliances) could change that
• Other new technologies could allow the storage of energy that can quickly be converted into electricity by turning a turbine – for example by using large flywheels or compressed air
• Interconnectors with Europe will offer additional flexibility, with Britain’s cross border capacity likely to at least double by 2020. Enhanced cooperation with our counterparts on the continent will allow wind intermittency to be balanced out across a much wider area.
Even in the absence of these new technological developments, variable wind and larger nuclear power stations can still be accommodated – and National Grid has identified what it can do to ensure consumers get value for money in accommodating this new fleet of electricity generating stations. Better wind forecasting, more sophisticated control systems and more innovative sources of 'operating reserve' are critical. The report also sets out the new questions we need to ask to assess the future security of our electricity supply. How windy will it be? How much electricity can we import from Ireland and the rest of Europe? How much will they want from us?
Chris Bennett, National Grid’s Future Transmission Networks Manager, said:
“The future brings great challenges for the energy industry, and National Grid is playing a key role in developing many of the solutions. This most comprehensive view yet of how Britain could balance electricity supply and demand in the future moves the debate firmly beyond the simplistic view that we just need more back-up generation. It paints a fascinating picture of how different the way we operate the system could be in coming years, and is a key step in ensuring that the industry is prepared.”
Dr Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF-UK said:
"It's great that National Grid has produced a report that shows that variability need not be seen as a stumbling block in the journey towards a low carbon power sector. All too often, the variability associated with renewables is used as an excuse for inaction. This report shows that high levels of renewable energy can easily be incorporated into the grid, making it far easier for the UK to meet the emissions reduction targets set out in the landmark Climate Change Act."
Maria McCaffery, British Wind Energy Association Chief Executive said:
“This report shows that large quantities of wind power can be integrated into our grid without the lights going out and at reasonable cost. It knocks on the head the myth that large amounts of capacity of "hot" standby is the only way to deal with the variability of wind".
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For further media information only, please contact Stewart Larque, National Grid Media Relations, on 01926 655274.