Growing levels of photovoltaic (PV) penetration on the low voltage (LV) electricity network are increasingly causing thermal and voltage issues, limiting the number of PVs that can be connected without reinforcing the electricity network. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) may not only provide a solution for such issues but also for issues associated with the expected increase in evening peak demand caused by the electrification of heat and transport.
The Distributed Storage and Solar Study (DS3) project explored the potential for aggregator-controlled behind-the-meter BESS to address these issues by providing peak-shaving capability. The project monitored a cluster of 40 domestic BESS installed in 36 households of which 27 had PVs over a period of two years.
The DS3 trial was successful and produced outcomes which can be used to inform battery operating modes, network design policies as well as further innovation trials. Several learning goals were defined at the outset of the project, which were designed to guide the trials.
Preliminary findings were presented at a number of national and international conferences, including CIRED 2019 in Madrid and LCNI 2019 in Glasgow. The final project results of the data analysis and modelling were presented at the Electricity Innovation Forum held at ENA in February 2020. A series of project reports are available below.
For more information, including the full dataset, please contact our Innovation team at yourpowergrid@northernpowergrid.com
Associated documents:
Distributed Storage & Solar Study (DS3) Factsheet
Distributed Storage & Solar Study (DS3) - Final Report February 2020
Distributed Storage & Solar Study (DS3) - Summary of the findings
Distributed Storage and Solar Study (CIRED)
Associated press release:
Northern Powergrid News website
