Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' (SSEN) Project TRANSITION, a £12.8 million project - partly funded through Ofgem's Network Innovation Competition-has delivered key outputs, two reports supporting Neutral Market Facilitation (NMF): Requirements Specification and Data Governance for the Distribution System Operator (DSO).
The proliferation of low-carbon, smart and flexible technologies is unlocking exciting opportunities, and creating new markets for households, businesses and communities to engage with. TRANSITION, a 5-year project launched in September 2018, is designing, developing, and demonstrating how the energy system architecture can be best designed to create and maximise opportunities created by these new technologies. The documents, supporting NMF are key outputs of TRANSITION, to inform our understanding of the energy system of the future.
SSEN is a strong supporter of the UK's net zero emissions reduction target and is committed to building electricity network flexibility and infrastructure that helps accommodate 10 million electric vehicles in GB by 2030. TRANSITION is critical in developing industry understanding of the most effective structure for the energy market to respond to this significant increase in demand, and an important and practical step toward unlocking net zero.
Alongside project partners CGI, SSEN is today publishing two documents which provide part of the structure for future energy systems to thrive and benefit from the proliferation of low-carbon, smart and flexible technologies. The NMF documents are:
- NMF Requirements Specification - this document outlines what is required for neutral facilitation of the electricity markets and creates a concept that TRANSITION will test.
- Data Exchange and Governance for the Distribution Systems Operator - the document explores the various aspects of data governance stored by the network operators, and how the exchange of data with other systems can support new markets being created.
TRANSITION seeks to contribute to and build upon, the Electricity Network Association (ENA) led Open Networks Project, and comprises of physical trials in Oxfordshire, and simulated trials in Electricity North West's licence area. One of its key aims is to ensure conflict avoidance is embedded in the electricity system architecture, emphasising the need for NMF.
Brian Wann TRANSITION Project Manager said: "These publications are an important milestone for TRANSITION, and as a building block for an electricity network that unlocks and maximises opportunities for UK households, businesses and communities."
"It is imperative that new technologies can compete on a level-playing field, with access to the data required to inform business decisions. SSEN is committed to being a neutral market facilitator and improving the journey for market participation."
"Data is crucial to understanding and creating opportunities for revenue stacking, which we believe will have an increasingly important role to play in creating the right conditions for the UK to meet its net-zero target."
Both documents will be developed into full Procurable Specifications, and SSEN is calling on interested parties to help shape the next stage of TRANSITION by providing feedback via ssentransitionsse.com.