Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution is aiming to offer more capacity for new-build housing estates and enable low carbon technologies.
Together with the Local Energy Markets Alliance (LEMA), the new option manages electricity demand locally, while longer-term reinforcements to the electricity system are completed.
Community Smart Access will use Dynamic Load Averaging (DLA) to accelerate the deployment of low carbon technologies like heat pumps, EV chargers, rooftop solar panels and battery storage in new homes.
SSEN Distribution said that it was making the move to provide “much more” capacity for the coming decades and to meet net zero targets with the option “helping to bridge the gap in the shorter term”.
Community Smart Access is designed to enable SSEN Distribution to procure and pay for flexibility services that it knows it will need once a new housing estate is built, meaning construction can go ahead, even in areas where the grid is more congested.
Nigel Bessant, SSEN Distribution’s Head of Network Operations, said:
“The UK and Scottish Governments both want to see more new homes built, while also decarbonising the grid. A massive part of getting to net zero involves moving away from gas boilers and cars powered by fossil fuels to low-carbon alternatives like heat pumps and EVs.
“Community Smart Access gives us a new option to accelerate the connection of new housing, with customers benefiting from Low Carbon Technologies like heat pumps, EV chargers, rooftop solar panels and battery storage.
“LEMA members Traxis Energy, ElectraLink and Gemserv have collaborated with us to turn the Dynamic Load Averaging concept into an effective, efficient, scalable proposition, to be trialled this year, after which we hope it can be adopted more widely.”
Simon Anderson, CEO of LEMA, said:
“The DLA is a crucial accelerator in the race to unlock congested grids and enable the development of much-needed all-electric homes. Local energy infrastructure is a fundamental enabler for building 1.5m new homes and a dozen new towns.
“At the same time, building well-insulated all-electric homes as part of greening the grid is a fantastic opportunity to also minimise energy bills, maximise sustainability and enhance energy security. Amplifying flexibility is the way to achieve this, which is what the Dynamic Load Averaging Service is designed to achieve.”
Image courtesy of SSEN Distribution
