Western Isles and Skye to help develop the flexible electricity network of the future
The Hebrides will act as a testbed for the flexible electricity network of the future.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) says the Western Isles and Skye will be among the first places in the country to test a new approach to power distribution.
It describes the changes as the biggest in more than 100 years, as it plans to use local generators on the islands as key parts of the modern electricity grid of the future.
A spokeswoman explained: "At the moment, if there’s a fault or planned maintenance work on the network, SSEN sometimes needs to use diesel generation to keep the lights on. This innovative new project will see medium to large wind and hydro stations opting in to being paid to provide power instead.
"This innovative, greener approach means it can be more cost-effective to pay local generators to export during certain times and conditions or for local businesses to reduce their consumption, helping keep costs down for customers."
The demand for electricity is expected to grow as the country looks to decarbonise to fight climate change, with electric vehicles replacing petrol and diesel and heating systems increasingly switching from gas to electric.
SSEN says its initiative in the Western Isles and Skye will be a significant step in developing the flexible electricity network of the future.
It is now working with Piclo, an independent marketplace for buying and selling smart grid flexibility services, to encourage businesses in the area to take part.
Stewart Reid, head of future networks at SSEN, said: “This first procurement exercise in the Western Isles and Skye is a significant step in delivering proactive flexibility and is one of the biggest to date in Scotland. It will play a vitally important role in supporting the UK to deliver its low-carbon ambitions.
“We are committed to considering flexible options where it is more cost effective than traditional network reinforcement, unlocking new opportunities for local flexibility providers and helping keep costs down for customers.
“We hope a range of local businesses, energy storage, and embedded generation take part in this exciting project.”
Interested businesses can register at picloflex.com
