Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is hosting a webinar on June 24 at 15:00 (BST) to discuss the outcomes from Project Modelling the Economic Reaction Linking Individual Networks (MERLIN). Stakeholders are invited to learn how distributed energy resources can be efficiently and cost-effectively managed in the transition to a smarter electricity network, and a net zero future.

The proliferation of low-carbon technologies, like electric vehicles, heat pumps and small-scale renewables will be key in achieving the UK's decarbonisation targets. Realising the full potential of these technologies will require shifting to a smarter and flexible energy system.

Launched in 2019 with project partners SSEN, Opus One Solutions, Open Grid Systems, University of Cambridge, and Hydro Ottawa, MERLIN ran concurrently to another SSEN project in Oxfordshire, Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO), which is replicating the energy system of the future. Through this, MERLIN examined how power systems respond to price signals and variable services, to provide clearer investment signals into the UK energy market. MERLIN provides real-life learnings of how increasing numbers of low-carbon technologies can be effectively utilised in the transition to net zero.

The learnings from Project MERLIN will be used to inform a secure, cost-effective, and efficient transition to a smarter electricity network, ensuring the opportunities and new markets unlocked by these technologies are utilised.

SSEN is hosting a webinar on 24 June at 15:00 BST to provide an overview of MERLIN's core findings and outcomes, ahead of the Project's upcoming final report later this summer. The webinar will:

  • Provide an overview of the different innovation and regulatory environments between the UK and Canada, and globally
  • Showcase how Common Information Model (CIM) tools are used to create network models, and
  • Demonstrate both a DSO flexible service market auction platform and planning tool function

Mel Bryce, Oxfordshire Programme Director at SSEN, said:

"With a significant uptake of low carbon and flexible technologies being forecast in the transition to net zero, Project MERLIN provides real-life key learnings on how DSOs can cost-effectively and efficiently transition to a smarter electricity network. SSEN is committed to learning by doing and we are excited to share the Project's key outcomes and learnings.

"The webinar provides an excellent opportunity for us and the project partners to share MERLIN's key outcomes and findings ahead of our final report later this year."

Hari Suthan, Chief of Strategic Growth at Opus One Solutions, said:

"We are delighted to lead a project that is anchored by SSEN to design large-scale modelling of the economic impacts of distributed energy resources on future grid plans. As more energy is generated locally and from renewable sources, it is imperative to connect this energy to networks to create smarter, cost-effective, and sustainable electricity distribution grids."

MERLIN is part of the Power Forward Challenge, a joint UK/Canada Government funded project. The Challenge aims to fund different projects and share the technological innovations between the two countries in order to accelerate the development and implementation of smart technologies within the energy industry.