Unlocking Transmission Transfer Capacity

Completed

Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Energy system analysis)
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Energy storage)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting
Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Other Systems Analysis)

Project Contact
National Grid Electricity Transmission

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 May 2018

01 November 2019

ENA months

£171,370

Power

London

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, National Grid Electricity Transmission

Project Contact, National Grid plc

Unlocking built-in network capacity is a major opportunity for consumers and network licensees. It is proposed to investigate the use of Energy Storage systems to economically unlock the inherent transmission network capacity. Strategic locating and sizing of storage resources will allow the network operators to load the network to a synthetic N-0 capacity, and when necessary to utilise the strategic storage resources to absorb/inject power post contingencies up until a system re-dispatch is affected.Constraint payment due to congestion is typically spread across hundreds of hours in a year depending on the fluctuating economics and quantities of energy production facilities and demand resources. Congestion relief has a diminishing return whereby the first MW of capacity increase will have the highest economic value while the last MW will have the least. Sizing energy storage systems will necessarily optimise the trade-off between congestion relief benefits and storage system cost. The study will examine the key bottlenecks in the GB network and investigate the strategic locations and sizes of storage facilities that can unlock an increasing level of the networks inherent transfer capacity. Congestion areas that restrict the transfer of renewable energy are of particular interest due to the added benefit that energy storage systems can provide for frequency and voltage regulation. The study would then lead on to technical specifications of the measurement architecture to be used. The project will focus on demonstrating the effectiveness of the concept on two of National Grids ET System boundaries. The system boundaries could potentially be selected based on voltage level (132 kV-400 kV) and type of system boundary (local – regional). The scope of work will include the following Tasks: Task 1 – Conduct Siting and sizing analysis of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) Objective: Select optimal sites and sizes of energy storage systems to address the two system boundaries. i)Detailed siting and sizing of ESS for the identified transmission boundaries. ii) The designed energy storage systems will be simulated within the grid model to ascertain its efficacy in resolving the boundary constraints. Task 2 – Conduct techno-economic study of selected energy storage systems (ESS) Objective: Conduct a techno-economic study of the selected ESS A lifetime techno-economic study will be conducted to compare the financial merits of the storage solution relative to the conventional solution. The analysis will consider storage capacity fading and augmentation, asset management cost, losses, replacement, and disposal. The cost of the storage solution will be compared to the conventional solutions. Task 3 Investigation of a potential ESS control system Objective: To review current relevant measurement systems in use and future ones under development by National Grid, to determine their potential suitability for controlling an ESS and provide a high level outline of architecture and measurement needs for the ESS control system including a high level cost estimates.Task 4 Project Completion and Recommendations for Further Investigative Work Objective: To summarize the findings of this project and recommend further work necessary to realise an ESS on the GB Network that would economically unlock the inherent transmission network capacity of the two boundaries selected. Objectives: Review grid boundaries and select two candidate studies. Select optimal sites and sizes of energy storage systems to address the two system boundaries. Conduct a techno-economic study of the selected ESS. To review current relevant measurement systems in use and future ones under development by National Grid, to determine their potential suitability for controlling an ESS. Recommend further work necessary to realise an ESS on the GB Network that would economically unlock the inherent transmission network capacity of the two boundaries selected.

It is proposed to investigate the use of Energy Storage systems to economically unlock the inherent transmission network capacity. Strategic locating and sizing of storage resources will allow the network operators to load the network to a synthetic N-0 capacity, and when necessary to utilise the strategic storage resources to absorb/inject power post contingencies up until a system re-dispatch is affected.

02/12/22