NAVIGATION

Completed

Energy Efficiency(Transport)
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
SGN - Southern England

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 March 2022

01 May 2022

2 months

£149,725

Energy

South East

Project Contact, SGN - Southern England

Key to the UKs Zero Emission Transport strategy is alleviating consumer range anxiety and accelerating Electric Vehicles (EVs) adoption by deploying ultra-rapid (100-350 kW) EV chargers to high-utilisation locations. To deliver this will considerably affect business as usual for consumers and network businesses, at great capital expenditure.This project brings together proven technologies and existing energy infrastructure to:introduce a direct alternative to capital-intensive network reinforcements;divert costs from consumers and create the technical framework for revenuestreams to prosumers, and; scale EV uptake, furthering the UKs Net Zero agenda.The Planning and EV Charging Operation Utilising Low-Carbon Generators (NAVIGATION) Project aims to demonstrate how predictive grid mapping AI; fuel-flexible, pollutant-free power generation; and real-time optimisation and control technology can employ the gas network, as it evolves to 100% renewable, as an alternative energy vector for the power provision for ultra-rapid EV charging infrastructure.Project NAVIGATION brings together world-class expertise across AI (Farad.ai), distributed, renewable-fuelled power generation (IPG), optimal real-time control (SMPnet) and a key energy sector stakeholder (SGN):SGN is a leading gas network operator, already delivering on a number of innovation projects designed to enable and accelerate the transition to a hydrogen gas network.Farad.ais AI-powered Compass product will identify high-demand sites for ultra-rapid EV charging that currently cannot be served by electricity grid but are in proximity of a gas network connection (SGN). This technology is TRL 6/7.IPGs pollutant-free, fuel-agnostic power generator, the IPG Flameless Generator, will provide the additional capacity and balancing services using the gas network, as it transitions to hydrogen. IPGs technology is proven to be a clean, off-grid EV charging solution in a £1 million SBRI project with National Highways, funded via Innovate UK. This technology is TRL 6/7. SMPnets Smart Network Controller (SNC), a high-computing, powerful controller, will supervise, optimise, and control multi-vector energy assets, in real-time and in a coordinated manner. This product has been developed through Innovate-UK-funded projects entitled LMEX, INFINITE and Perth Smart Energy Network at a TRL 6/7.The end users of this project include funding schemes in charge of co-ordinating EV uptake, gas and electricity network owners and operators, EV users and indirectly regulators. The end users and wider stakeholders benefit from: faster EV charging in locations that meet demand; lower carbon emissions; higher air quality; access to new revenue streams; and, reduction of consumer costs by minimising network operators capital expenditures.

14/10/22