SP Energy Networks has been awarded over £21 million of funding from Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund for projects to help speed the use of green energy.
Flexible Railway Energy Hubs, awarded over £8m, will demonstrate for the first time a new microgrid solution to help create a predictable and cost-effective use of power on the railway. These microgrids will connect to local renewable energy sources to power trains.
The project, in collaboration with Network Rail’s Research and Development team and project partners University of Leeds, Ricardo Energy and Environment and GE Vernova, could support the replacement of diesel trains – without the need for major infrastructure upgrades – to deliver a low emission railway quicker and more cost effectively.
‘D-Suite’, awarded £8 million, is looking at increasing available capacity on the low voltage network by between 20% to 40% by using power electronics to control voltage and current. SPEN is in partnership with UKPN, Newcastle University and Integrated Powertech. A major aim of the project is to create a fully automated low-voltage design tool that can be quickly adopted by other DNOs.
‘Blade’, awarded £5 million, aims to show how offshore windfarms can be used to restore the electricity network following a national power outage. The Blade project is adopting a whole systems approach, working with partners such as SSEN, National HVDC Centre, University of Strathclyde and Carbon Trust as well as an advisory panel, made up of offshore windfarm developers and original equipment manufacturers to influence the design of a potential commercial mechanism to be adopted industry-wide.