Innovative energy projects announced

The government has announced four new ‘smart’ energy demonstrator projects as examples of the latest in energy innovation, with the potential for providing lower cost energy with lower emissions.

Support for the projects has been provided through the £102.5m ‘Prospering from the Energy Revolution Challenge’, which supports the development of local systems that deliver cleaner, cheaper and more resilient energy.

The four technology demonstrator projects are:

The Energy Superhub, Oxford

It’s a consortium led by Pivot Power LLP, which will see the installation of the world’s first transmission-connected lithium ion and redox-flow hybrid battery. Over 40 sites across the UK have been identified which could host the technology. The project also includes a network of 320 ground source heat pumps, including smart controls, for the social housing sector.

ReFLEX Orkney

This Orkney based consortium is led by the European Marine Energy Centre. The project links local energy networks, including electricity, transport and heat into one interconnected and controllable system. The project aims to demonstrate an energy system that could eventually remove the need for carbon based fuels.

Local Energy Oxfordshire

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks are leading this consortium to develop new energy projects based on a distribution system operator model to help with forecasting and planning. The project also aims to develop a local energy marketplace including peer to peer trading, load aggregation and a data interface with the distribution system operator, to allow improved network and constraint forecasting and management.

Smart Hub SLES, West Sussex

This Advanced Infrastructure led consortium will demonstrate integration of energy management across council houses, privately owned properties, commercial property and transport infrastructure. Some of the leading energy technologies that will be used include a hybrid electric vehicle charging and hydrogen fuel station, power management using mesh networks and heat networks. A virtual power plant is also to be developed to integrate several energy units through dynamic energy monitoring and response to demand and generation.

Read more here or please contact Andrew Davison on 0191 211 7950 for help with your energy related legal needs.