SP Energy Networks has won £10m to create a digital twin of the UK’s electricity network for modelling and testing digital solutions for managing increased electricity demand.
Funding from UKRI is supporting the establishment of the ENSIGN (ENergy System dIGital twiN) model.
It is also the first energy project funded by the Engineering, Physics and Sciences Research Council’s Prosperity Partnership Fund.
Developed in collaboration with leading Scottish universities – Strathclyde, Glasgow, Heriot Watt and St Andrews – ENSIGN will help identify the best ways to optimise capacity and incorporate green energy technologies on to the network as homes and businesses make the switch to cleaner and greener fuels on the road to net zero emissions.
The ground-breaking digital project is based on finding the best options for managing increased electricity demand on an energy network platform – hosted by the University of Strathclyde – from the decarbonisation of heating and industry as well as hydrogen use, which will be modelled by the other partner universities.
This will allow SP Energy Networks to identify best practice and solutions that can be deployed in real-life to deliver an optimised, reliable, resilient, and cost-effective energy network of the future.
Scott Mathieson, Network Planning and Regulation Director at SP Energy Networks, said: “The pace of change in the energy industry is like nothing we’ve ever seen so it’s vital we can stress-test tech and services to identify the best solutions and ensure the network remains fit for purpose as we move towards an all-electric future.
“This new ‘digital twin’ will allow us to simulate innovations and understand the potential benefits of new services in a whole new light, giving us meaningful insights that will directly impact what we do in the real world.
“The insights from this project will help shape the future of the energy system in the UK and offer the potential to transform the energy grids of countries around the world.
“Having the support of the Prosperity Partnership enables us to drive this industry-leading project to create a cleaner, greener and better future, quicker, for everyone.”
Once complete, the project’s findings are expected to be rolled-out to other distribution network operators across the UK and further afield.