A NEW project by Energy Networks Association helps make Britain ‘a superpower of renewable energy’, by implementing standardised processes and practices that will prepare for net zero.
By focusing this year on open data, local markets for flexibility, and working with community groups, their Open Networks project will ‘take the transition to the smart grid to the next level.’
Commenting on the announcement, David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association, said: “Open Networks is playing a pivotal role in helping to support the move towards a low carbon future.
“We need to build on existing successes and drive forward change that will improve transparency, boost new flexibility markets and support community energy projects.
“The Open Networks Project looks forward to working with the whole industry, from BEIS and Ofgem to community groups all over the country, to deliver this major change, grow local flexibility markets for clean energy, tackle the DSO transition head on and build a net zero energy system that works for everyone.”
The association has recently launched two publications: the 2020 Work Plan and consultation, and 2019 End of Year Review.
The 2020 Work Plan consultation launched on 22 January is a key opportunity for stakeholders from across the industry – from renewables projects to aggregators and community energy groups – to consider the full scope and direction of the project this year, and provide feedback on priorities and timelines.
The 2020 Work Plan and consultation comes off the back of a successful 2019, where the Project concluded 95% of the products scoped at the beginning of the year.
A new flexibility commitment, improvements to distribution connections for customers and increasing the provision and transparency of data through a System Wide Resource Register all helped to build strong momentum for the project to capitalise on in 2020.
In 2020 the Project will focus on delivering standardisation and alignment across all Workstreams, ensuring that all industry stakeholders will start to increasingly feel the benefits from Open Networks outputs.
Driving standardisation will make participating in new local markets as easy as possible, provide clean and secure energy and boost market confidence.
Priorities for Open Networks this year include:
- Advancing local markets for flexibility, vital for the transition to net zero, with standard approaches across DNOs for the:
- Future Energy Scenarios, forecasting and identification of system needs; and
- Procurement and contracting of flexibility services, and alignment with ESO markets where possible
- Building on the work of the Energy Data Task Force to enhance transparency by enabling greater data visibility and better, consistent access to non-confidential data across transmission and distribution
- Growing the reach of the project with a series of new Community Energy Forums
Another key focus this year will be to tackle the DSO transition head on with the publication of a DSO Implementation Plan, due to be released in summer 2020.
With the successful conclusion of the Future Worlds work in 2019 ending with the industry agreeing a shared vision to Distribution System Operation (DSO).
This year the networks will set out a clear implementation path, highlighting all the actions and decisions required to implement the vital transition to the smart grid between now and 2050.
Open Networks will also build upon its industry leading work on whole energy systems, seeking to deliver further efficiencies across both gas and electricity.
This year the Project will undertake development of a whole system cost benefit analysis methodology.
This will seek to deliver whole energy systems solutions by considering how both gas and electricity can deliver benefits to customers, including societal benefits.
The 2020 Work Plan consultation will run for 8 weeks and close on 17th March 2020.
For more information, visit here
