Development, Test and Demonstration of Distribution Scale Electricity Storage Technology - New Request for Proposals
The ETI is seeking organisations capable of taking part in at least one project to design, build and demonstrate, in a realistic environment, an energy storage technology which could play a crucial role in delivering affordable, secure and sustainable energy systems in the future.
The project will see the device development, building, commissioning and operation of an energy storage device of sufficient capacity that it can deliver at least 500kW on an 11kV distribution network for approximately four hours. This is enough stored energy to power around 400 homes for four hours in the winter and will be needed as an important element of the local electricity networks to keep the lights on when renewable generators are not able to operate, for example, due to calm weather with no wind.
The first stage will be to seek technology proposals ahead of a shortlist being developed into full project proposals. The intention is for the ETI to then select at least one of the full project proposals and commission the development and building of the electricity storage device.
Once built the device will be tested and commissioned on an operational 11kV distribution site under real conditions to ensure its effectiveness and reliability. It is envisaged that the device will be demonstrated under realistic conditions for at least a year.
A press release on the project can be found by clicking through to here.
Fault Current Management - New Requests for Proposals
The ETI is commissioning two projects in this area. Each project will develop, test, demonstrate and evaluate the performance of one of the two leading Fault Current Limiter technology concepts, namely:
• a Resistive Superconducting Fault Current Limiter (RSFCL), and
• a Pre-saturated Core Fault Current Limiter (PCFCL).
These projects represent a unique opportunity for device developers to develop and demonstrate a device in a real operating environment on an electricity distribution network, and will provide invaluable sources of ongoing support and marketing references from key players in the UK electricity market. There is a significant market opportunity and the potential to build new partnerships.
Requests for Proposals for the development, build, test and demonstration of each device have now closed.
Programme Summary
The UK’s transmission and distribution networks will require substantial investment in new capacity to accommodate renewable sources of generation, particularly wind power. There is scope for significant innovation in the way that energy is delivered to consumers. There will also be an important role for storage technologies to cater for more intermittent supplies. Heat networks may emerge as a critical new infrastructure requirement and there will be implications for the role of gas in the future energy mix together with investment in gas storage.
Initial Focus Areas
This programme will address three initial themes:
- Adapt networks to enable greater quantities of renewable and distributed generation to be connected, with good security and quality of supply. - Manage networks to provide greater flexibility between supply and demand, to offset high CO2 peak demand.
- Reducing CO2 and environmental impact of existing networks.
Energy Storage and Distribution Projects
Offshore Connection Project
Large-scale offshore renewable energy farms, including wind, tidal stream and wave energy systems are likely to play an increasingly significant role in enabling the UK to meet its long-term CO2 emissions reduction targets. However, the development and installation of large renewable energy farms off the coast of the UK provides a number of challenges:
· the collection of electrical energy offshore from individual and multiple renewable energy farms.
· the transportation of bulk electrical energy generated by these offshore farms to the UK shoreline.
· the connection and integration of these offshore farms into the onshore power system.
This project will identify and assess innovative technology solutions to these issues, quantify their benefits (particularly CO2 emissions reduction, increased affordability and security of energy supply), and provide guidance to the ETI in respect of technology development opportunities.
The period for submission of proposals for this project has now closed, and the project is underway.
Network Capacity Project
The electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) systems in the UK have evolved incrementally, with their original design topologies assuming a centralised energy delivery model. The resultant T&D systems have little spare capacity to accommodate widespread changes in generation type and characteristics, major changes in demand patterns, or the major changes in volume and location of power flows required to enable the installation of large quantities of renewable generation. This problem is compounded by the difficulties and timescales associated with gaining consents for new overhead line infrastructure construction.
To enable the installation of substantially more renewable energy systems than the current UK T&D system can accommodate, innovative approaches and technology solutions are required which could lead either:
· to the enhancement of the capacity of the existing T&D network, or
· to the expansion of the T&D network by means other than the construction of new overhead line infrastructure.
This project will identify and assess such solutions, quantify their benefits (particularly CO2 emissions reduction, increased affordability and security of energy supply), and provide guidance to the ETI in respect of technology development opportunities.
The period for submission of proposals for this project has now closed, and the project is underway.
A press release on the Offshore Connection and Network capacity projects can be found by clicking through press release