National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) has entered into an agreement to use specialist simulation software to identify future grid expansion to support a carbon neutral power system.
The multi-year agreement is with Exemplar Energy for its energy market simulation platform, PLEXOS.
The software platform will support offshore network modelling for proposed wind farms, model and help minimise the probability of outages (LOLP) and provide a higher level of integration and automation of current processes to the National Grid ESO.
Also included are Energy Exemplar’s full European Datasets to analyse the integration of the UK into the neighbouring European energy market.
This new data modelling tool will help to shape future versions of the Future Energy Scenarios, which set out potential pathways to net zero by or before 2050.
PLEXOS will also help shape the Network Operations Assessment report, a regulatory required document published by the National Grid ESO each year with recommendations for which transmission system reinforcement projects should receive investment.
PLEXOS was selected for its versatility, supporting nodal modelling for more granular future planning, co-optimisation of power and gas, as well as scalable cloud computation infrastructure.
The contract contains a three-year fixed period with two one-year optional extensions.
Michael Schneider, Senior Vice President and Head of EMEA at Energy Exemplar, said: “The next few years will be crucial to lay the foundation for this transition and the ability to integrate new technologies at scale.
“Our software PLEXOS will provide a key capability to support the continued and proud tradition of UK energy innovation which started in 1881, when Britain provided the world’s first public power supply in Godalming, Surrey, with energy generated from a water wheel.”
Iain Shepherd, Enhanced Network Capability Development Manager at National Grid ESO, said: “PLEXOS will further strengthen the analysis the ESO undertakes to identify the optimal pathways to net zero and will support the ESO in assessing the optimal pathways for future network infrastructure decisions, ensuring that we can continue to deliver a network that is secure, reliable and delivers value for consumers as we move towards net zero.”