The Grid

In this new collaboration episode, Brian Moorhead and David McDonald from eSmart Networks get together with Chris Doré, Business Development Director of both eSmart Networks and sister company TriConnex to discuss the challenges house builders are facing when connecting their schemes to the grid.

Get an insight into leading UK multi-utility company TriConnex, what they do, and the launch of their new service offering ‘Grid Dynamix’. Find out how TriConnex are assisting developers with connecting their schemes to the grid through their new Grid Dynamix service and understand the benefit for developers in the ever-changing world of electricity connections.

The team also dive deep into electrification of vehicles and heating, as well as the new future homes standard and what TriConnex are doing to come away from gas. Furthermore, with changing regulations making power more difficult for housing developers, get the latest intel on capacity crunch, SCR, milestones and much more.

Read more about TriConnex’s new Grid Dynamix service here: https://triconnex.co.uk/multi-utilities/grid-dynamix/

If you want to get in touch with eSmart Network, don’t hesitate to write to [email protected] and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes. If you would like to request a specific topic, don’t hesitate to write to [email protected] and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes. 

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From the 1st of April 2023, grid connection regulation has changed significantly. 

On the whole, the headline is very positive in that demand connections no longer pay for reinforcement costs, subject to some exceptions. However the exceptions are more complicated than you might think. 

Whilst commercial feasibility should increase for many projects. more projects are also expected to experience time delays and the trade off between cost and time will become an increasing focus for many developers.

In addition, extra regulation has been brought in for connecting customers to comply with. 'Speculative projects' (particularly aimed at housing development) are now regulated for and more likely to be penalised whilst 'phased capacity' planning is also now a regulated thing which is encouraged through the new regulations (and likely to be essential for many projects). Flexible connections are also now more regulated, opening up even more optionality in how you connect to the grid.

In our latest podcast, we explore the complexities of the new regulations to highlight the new hurdles that developers need to be aware of and our recommendations on how to navigate the increase in both optionality and complexity of the new grid connection regime.

➡️Listen Now:

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With all new #Renewable and #BatteryStorage projects in GB being quoted connection dates of 2028-2038 and beyond due to Transmission Capacity Issues, Brian and David delve into the challenges driving this.

One episode wouldn’t cut it as this is probably the biggest topic in Renewable or BESS Development right now, so we’ll be stepping through the issue in a ‘Transmission Capacity Crunch’ Mini-series.

Part 1 is available now, which sets the scene by covering some background on the GB Transmission Network and its interaction with Distribution Networks, the volumes of connection applications, our 2030 & 2050 capacity targets and some of the key challenges being faced by the Grid.

In the following episodes, we’ll be getting into the challenges and solutions in more detail, along with a summary of our thoughts on what Renewable or BESS Developers & Investors should be considering. 

Like or subscribe to stay tuned.

​Brian Moorhead from eSmart Networks interviews Derek Roddy from Energy Cloud on how they started their not-for-profit company, the journey so far, potential future uses of the technology and growth plans for the UK.

£10M’s of green clean electricity is regularly being dumped on the Ireland Electricity System whilst people struggle to heat their homes. Find out how Energy Cloud are using this otherwise dumped energy to provide free hot water to social housing- demonstrating yet another example of renewable generation having a direct positive impact on wider society. 

Hear how since Christmas, the EnergyCloud platform has provided around 7 free tanks of hot water to each Energy Cloud home. Energy Cloud even sends residents a text message to inform them that wind curtailment is predicted beforehand and then afterwards to confirm that the hot water was delivered! 

You can get in touch with EnergyCloud at https://www.energycloud.org/contact/ 

If you want to get in touch with eSmart Network, don’t hesitate to write to [email protected] and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes. If you would like to request a specific topic, don’t hesitate to write to [email protected] and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes. 

Listen to The Grid via our Podcast: https://esmartnetworks.co.uk/the-grid-podcast/

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Explained: What are Harmonics and what is Harmonic Distortion, why do we have to consider them and how do they impact on your project and EV Charging?

Whether you’re considering a Renewable Energy Generation project or large-scale EV charging hub, on this episode you’ll be introduced to Harmonics and how it can impact your project.

This week we have our very own David Padayachee who is the Connections Design Manager at eSmart Networks. David is Chartered Engineer with over 14 years’ industry experience having spent time working in Power System Consultancy and across various DNOs.

HIGHLIGHTS

● Harmonics and Harmonic Distortion Explained

● Equipment associated with Harmonic Distortion

● Increase of Harmonics on the network due to the uptake of EVCs and Renewables

● Industry Standards

● Solutions the industry can do to reduce Harmonics

If you would like to request a specific topic, don’t hesitate to write to [email protected] and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes.

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Voltage Levels Explained

Explained: What are the UK voltage levels, why do we have them and most importantly,how do they impact your project?

Whether you’re considering an EV, Industrial Electrification, Renewable or Battery Storage project, on this episode you’ll learn some “rules of thumb” for how voltages could impact your budget, your programme, and even the physical space it could take up on-site.

This week’s host is eSmart Networks Lead Grid Connections Manager, Brian Moorhead, who sits down with Technical Director at eSmart Networks, David Mcdonald, to cover the basics on voltage levels in the UK power industry.

HIGHLIGHTS

●    Basic principles

●    UK vs. International Standards

●    Low voltage

●    11 kV

●    33 kV

●    Grid Strategy

●    Considerations for developers

●    Thresholds

●    Physical infrastructure

If you would like to request a specific topic, don’t hesitate to write to [email protected] and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes.

On today’s episode, Simon and Brian Moorhead, one of the Grid Connection Managers at eSmart Networks, discuss flexible connections’ arrangements and cover the second

half of Ofgem’s Access and Forward-Looking Charges Significant Code Review (SCR), released in May 2022.

HIGHLIGHTS

●  Generation connections

●    Inconsistency in flexible connections across DNO’s

●  Moving risk from developers to DNO’s

●  Three main changes by Ofgem

●  The difference between a firm and a non-firm connection

●  Curtailment limits

●  Clarity of curtailment information

●  Standardizing methodologies

● A bit of advice for developers

CONTACT US

● Visit our website at https://esmartnetworks.co.uk/

● Send us an email [email protected]

● Follow us on Twitter @eSmartNetworks1

● LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/esmart-networks

● YouTube channel @esmartnetwroks

In this episode Simon talks to experts Brian Morehead (Senior Grid Connection Manager) and David McDonald (Technical Director) from eSmart Networks about network capacity, what it means and how to find out where it is so you can connect to the grid quicker.

HIGHLIGHTS

● What do we mean by capacity?

● Thermal capacity

● Finding the tipping point

● Volt rise and volt drop

● Reinforcing the network

● Fault levels

● Harmonics

● Charging current on long cables

● System stability and frequency

CONTACT US

● Visit our website at https://esmartnetworks.co.uk/

● Send us an email [email protected]

● Follow us on Twitter @eSmartNetworks1

● LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/esmart-networks

● YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm1xJpPsmcC2zrqg-6Qn-XQ?app=desktop

On this week’s episode, Simon Gallagher discusses with Brian Moorhead, one of the Grid Connection Managers at E-Smart Networks and Mark McCall, Chairman of the Electric Vehicle Association Northern Ireland, his recent road trip from Essex, England to Belfast, Northern Ireland, via Holyhead ferry.  

Simon started by charging the car at 85% to prove a point, so his first stop was at a Staffordshire Ionity site. He then very easily got on the boat to Dublin, and from there charged the car once again in another Ionity site, Dublin City North.   

All was well, until he got to Northern Ireland. 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• The trip 
• Funding  
• Public chargers 
• Investments in Northern Ireland 
• A new set of challenges 
• Pricing policy 
• Capacity problem 
• No-man’s land 
• Decarbonization 
• Ofgem 
• The regulatory environment 
• The case of Fulwell to accommodate EV buses 
• What has to move forward 

You can find more about Mark’s organization visiting the website: https://evani.uk/ 

CONTACT US 

• Visit our website at https://esmartnetworks.co.uk/ 
• Send us an email [email protected] 
• Follow us on Twitter @eSmartNetworks1 
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/esmart-networks 

Hydrogen holds a lot of promise in helping us towards net zero – it is the most abundant element on earth, it creates zero carbon when burned and can be transported in pipelines the way we currently transport natural gas.

In this episode, we take an evidence-based view of the potential of hydrogen guided by my guest Jan Rosenow who is Director of European Programmes at the Regulatory Assistant Project, as well as an Honorary research associate at the Energy Programme of Environmental Change Institute within the University of Oxford.

Jan has a long and detailed history in environmental policy and is right at the cutting edge of Energy and Environmental policy.

Topics Covered:

- What is hydrogen

- It’s place in the energy sector

- Use cases

- Sensible use cases

- No-regret decisions

You can find the Youtube Version at https://youtu.be/7PWSOY9R4pY