Northern Powergrid, a distribution network operator in Northeast England, has launched a smart grid micro-resilient pilot program.

The first smart grid project costing £2.5 million, called Microresilience, uses energy storage systems and innovative communication technologies. It is piloting two key locations-Newcastle's historic swing bridge and the remote forest village of Burnes, Northumberland-each location was chosen to meet the unique challenges of energy network resilience.

In June of this year, the UK Climate Change Commission emphasized that protecting the power system from climate-related failures is a top priority. Think tank Institut Français des Relations Internationales identified the power sector as the main target of cybercriminals. Both the European power transmission system operator network and the British power system administrator Elexon will be attacked in 2020.

Microresilience is a collaboration between Northern Powergrid and Smarter Grid Solutions (SGS). SGS is an innovative smart grid software company that will use the groundbreaking Open Field Message Bus (OpenFMB) protocol on its control platform to realize the integration of the network and Microresilience technology. Real-time communication between. Northern Powergrid also cooperates with Turbo Power Systems (TPS), which will provide innovative power electronic equipment.

The Strata Resilience distributed energy resource management software (DERMS) of Glasgow-based SGS will be used to manage the network as a set of independent microgrids, which can operate as "islands" if the wider network fails. The project will show how battery storage ensures the availability of renewable energy when power demand is high, and helps power these “islands” when the grid is under pressure (for example, during storms).

Iain Miller, Head of Innovation at Northern Powergrid, said: “We are constantly striving to find innovative ways to improve our network and protect our customers from power outages. This micro-resilient project provides a blueprint for the parts of our network that need it most. The most reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity.

"Micro-elasticity will allow us to test and build a stronger, more storm-resistant, community-centric network, so that customers, communities and locations directly benefit from the lower risk of continuous power outages. The experience gained from this project will also Provide information for the wider promotion of smart technologies in our region and the UK."

Photo (for illustrative purposes): Viaduct and suspension bridge / Tagishsimon / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

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