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With the dramatic change that’s happening behind the meter, how are distribution networks working to ensure fair and reliable connectivity? How will existing network infrastructure handle the mass uptake of PV solar and electric vehicles without augmentation or tripping inverters. How can DNSPs be enablers instead of just saying “No”?
It’s safe to say that the uptake of rooftop solar over the last two decades has far exceeded the expectation of everybody in terms of the rate of adoption and the fall in installed price per kW (see the graphs by Ramez Naam). This sudden rush of generation behind the meter has caught most electricity networks by surprise, and the reactive fixes throughout the network to handle this have been wide-ranging. And now, once again, we’re all watching the early adoption of electric vehicles and all wondering what this will mean for the network. Many have posited that these “portable energy storage devices” may be part of the solution – offering a way to move energy both in place and time through vehicle to grid (V2G). However, that technology is still in its early stages and lacks standardisation. For the moment, the biggest focus seems to be around the risk of mass uncontrolled charging across the network – think of the TV ad break kettle rush but worse!
Critical Knowledge
For both scenarios, monitoring and control is a core part of the answer. Having clear visibility of the state of the network is critical for knowing where the problems are already occurring (and how badly), as well as understanding where emerging issues may be hiding. Enabling more control of the amassed resources provides protection (through careful granular load or generation curtailment) and an opportunity to coordinate the network to make the best use of these resources and stop seeing them as a threat.
There are many challenges with such a proposal: having the ability to communicate across the distribution network is seen as a significant roadblock, and it is exacerbated by the lack of standardisation of third-party hardware such as EV chargers and PV inverters. Dynamic Ratings’ ConnectGrid platform is one example of a Smart Infrastructure Solution designed to help bridge these gaps and transform from a static distribution network that sits largely in the dark to the connected and controllable active network of the future. These platforms enable this through:
In the last few years, Dynamic Ratings have increasingly supported customer projects that leverage the ConnectGrid platform to enable dynamic network operation. An example of this is dynamic electric vehicle charge control. A recent project looked to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of calculating network capacity for EV charging and reducing the charger output when capacity is constrained.
