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Learning from NINES(Northern Isles New Energy Solutions)

Stewart ReidFuture Networks & Policy Manager

(NINES director)

Shetland Demand 2

PLUS EMBEDDED LOCAL NETWORK THERMAL AND VOLTAGE CONSTRAINTS

Project Principles

Identify symbiotic benefits (virtuous cycles)– Understand community drivers

• Utilise Energy Storage in the home = opportunity for reduced bills• Valuing controllable demand = local business opportunities• Increasing renewables = reducing station carbon footprint• Domestic based storage = improved SAP rating

Low Hanging fruit– Large volumes of inexpensive energy storage– Low (relatively) complexity of ICT

A portfolio of energy storage solutions

Storage requirement for Islanded Shetland4

55MW

580MWh Intra day

3,000MWh Intra Week

5,000MWh Intra Month

27,500MWh Inter Season

Foyers Pump Storage Station can store

6,300MWh

Assuming ONLY renewable sources

Trickle Charging balancing the network and managing constraints

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6NINES Overview~180MwHrs

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Storage Distribution

Network constraints exist throughout network.Energy storage clustered in communities beyond constraints.

Passive or Active Demand Management?

Focus on Shetland is passive– Passive

• ONE decision for customer at installation time, then let the system do the work.

– Active• Recurring decisions for customer for the duration

of installations life.

6 Home Trial (Tier 1 Project)

Water CylindersHighly insulated to minimise casing

heat loss• Controller will

ensure adequate stored heat and will override utility signals if necessary

• Heater will default to “normal” operation if utility signal is lost

Triple Element to facilitate DSM

Electronic controller for setting operating

times and temperatures

Boost element for emergency use

Default water temperature

Water Temperature = 60 °CEnergy Stored = 9 kWhAvailable Energy storage = 4 kWh

Maximum water temperature

Water temperature = 80 ° CEnergy Stored = 13 kWhAvailable Energy Storage = 0 kWh

Water CylindersIf all water tanks on Shetland converted then 2.5MW of control on island 25% of summer demand

If all domestic tanks in UK 6GW of control 50% more than the rating of DRAX

6 Home trial

210L enhanced water tanks installed in 6 houses– 3 months of operational

data– 2 way Communications link

to the 6 sitesLearning focus:– ICT proving and evaluation– Energy storage data

gathering– Customer satisfaction– Evaluating trickle charge

algorithms

Tank temperature MonitoringTrace shows

impact of too fast trickle charge

rate

Output: Energy Storage time constants

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0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

2 4 6 8 10 12 14

How much energy storage in practice given:– Housing type– Customer behaviour

• Acceptance of Sub 55 deviations (how long, when)

• Change in hot water use patterns

– Seasonal variations– Degree of certainty

• 80/20 OK?Incremental benefit of 2 way comms.– Worth the money?

Duration

MW

Storage in hand

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-5

0

5

10

15

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DurationHrs

MW

Storage HeatersHighly insulated to minimise casing

heat loss

Fan provides instant heat output when heating is required

Electronic controller for setting fan

operating times and accurate room temperature

• Controller will ensure adequate stored heat and will override utility signals if necessary

• Heater will default to “normal” operation if utility signal is lost

Default Charge Level Maximum Charge Level

Core Temperature = 450 °CEnergy stored = 11 kWhAvailable energy storage = 7 kWh

Core Temperature = 650 °CEnergy Stored = 18 kWhAvailable energy storage = 0 kWh

Storage Heaters

• New Heater will use up to 16% less energy (based on a house in Lerwick with storage and panel heating)

• 6 SAP point improvement over current storage heater 

Storage HeatersTraditional

Storage HeaterNew Storage

Heater

Network Communication

Interface

Store Temperature

Sensor

Mains frequency

Sensor

Room Temperature

Sensor

Dimplex ControllerComplete with:• communications protocol converter •Comfort control•DSM / Frequency response

Control System

Engaging customers with no micro Generation is different.

What is in it for us?– Choice or mandate– Cost saving– Potential income– Opportunistic engagement (upgrading my heating

anyway)– The greater good– Comfort– External drivers

• Efficiency standards (SAP rating)• Local objectives

Shetland NaS Battery enclosure

The Battery will: (DECC, Tier 1 & NINES)

Regulate frequency to de-constrain renewables

Trough fill to de-constrain renewables

Peak Lop demand

Optimise engine loading to reduce carbon and other emissions

Assist with black start

Local voltage constraint management

Project Outputs 23

6 comprehensive System models encompassing all included storage technologies

Period of model Validation

Validated modelling used to design a “Hybrid Power station” working with distributed storage and renewable generation assets.

Without Frequency responsive demand

With Frequency responsive demand

Unit scheduling model

V

i

Dynamic(PSS/E)

system model

‘Unit’scheduling

model• status  • output• cost• reserve• curtailment 

SHEAP characteristics

module

Generating unit s characteristics

module

Domestic Electrical Thermal Storage module

NAS characteristics

module

System objectives and constraints

module

Event / disturbance list

Generating unit forecast model

Customer demand forecast

model

Frequency responseEvaluation/mitigation of 

responseFeedback into modules 

and constraints

Flexible and inflexible electrical demand

available power output

Steady State (PSS/E) system

model

Dynamic characteristics of

frequency responsive

devices

Weather forecast model

Nine learning points from NINES

Studies and field data.– Study confirms the frequency responsive demand will have a stabilising effect and peak

management is viable.– It is viable to enhance stored energy in hot water tanks while maintaining customer needs.

Large Scale Battery– Procurement can be used effectively to test efficiency claims– Siting can be a contentious issue, early engagement with all stakeholders essential (HSE,

SEPA, Community)– Civil diagrams to UK standards produced for NAS enclosure

Market unsupportive of local problem solving:– Many smart solutions will be interim, this severely restricts willingness of customers to

engage and commit, key piece of work required here. – Allowing the dynamic constraint of generation encourages “inefficient” proposals need to

address who polices this?

Communications are challenging and SIGNIFICANT overhead– MAJOR issue with reliability using GPRS primarily signal strength, 4/6 average– Overhead of communications infrastructure more significant than anticipated.

The Beginning

Questions welcome