Group PLC
Research and development awards
We prioritise seeking new solutions to help us build a cleaner energy future. Here you can find out more about our research and development achievements.
Research and development achievements
We’re dedicated to finding new ways to do things better in the energy industry, exploring novel solutions to help us overcome challenges and improve our performance. Working in partnership we have developed several award-winning and nominated projects. Read more about the awards received by our teams in the UK and US below:
US Electricity Research & Development Awards
Electric Power Research Institute Technology Transfer Award
In February 2019, the Company received an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Technology Transfer award, entitled Smart Inverter Requirements and Application, for our work on testing smart inverters’ capabilities to improve grid reliability by mitigating the impact of renewable resources on secondary and primary system voltage. National Grid and EPRI filed a white paper entitled Recommended smart inverter settings for grid support and test plan to share the finding from the research.
Download the full list of awards and winners
Energy Storage North America (ESNA) Award
In November 2019, we received an award from Energy Storage North America (ESNA) for the deployment of a Tesla built 6MW /48MWh energy storage system. This system, along with a 15MW Combustion Turbine Generator, creates a microgrid which will save the expense of running a third undersea cable to Nantucket, while ensuring that the island’s electrical needs are met for years to come. The system is being fitted with a predictive decision support system which will take weather, historical load, and several other parameters into account to control the energy storage system in a semi-autonomous fashion.
UK Electricity Research and Development Awards
This year, one of our 2019 winning projects was working on textured insulators. These insulators are designed to extend the lifetime of composite insulators by using textured surface.
This project is a collaboration between industry, academia and National Grid and is designed to deliver a step change in insulator performance. This technology could be further developed to reduce the amount of oil filled plant used in substations; providing environmental and safety improvements.
Our textured insulator project has now been shortlisted for two external awards:
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Electric Power Research Institute Technology Transfer Award
We also put forward three projects for Technology Transfer Awards at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) awards in February 2019, winning one of them. The three nominations came under the Transmissions and Substations category and recognised the work we have done to move EPRI research into practice. The three entries were:
Winner
Novel transformer dehydration using membranes. This project took successful laboratory-based research into the field where several utilities installed pilot systems, with each learning from the previous application to optimise the technology. This project won the award which was shared with CenterPoint Energy, Con Edison, Duke Energy, Southern Company and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.
Nominated
A project enhancing and applying EPRI’s Power Transformer Expert (PTX) system software to National Grid’s transmission substation power transformer fleet. Both parties have worked for over two years enhancing PTX algorithms and testing performance against National Grid’s fleet of transmission transformers and moving the system into business as usual processes.
Nominated
Project working on leak sealing research for SF6 breakers and gas insulated substations. Successful completion of this project continues work on extended life testing for adhesives and the sealing of thread fittings to reduce loss of SF6 gas. This project involved Con Edison and NYPA.