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scale fi eld trials in the water company se ng. "Further investment is required in the UK to support "incubator" programmes for water effi ciency and to enable fi eld scale trials so these can form part of water resources management and business plans." FUTURE PLANNING Investment in innova on is crucial for u li es and the transforma on of energy and water systems, but new P R E S E N T S IN ASSOCIATION WITH BLOCKCHAIN Distributed ledger technology, or blockchain as it is more commonly known, is o en associated with Bitcoin – a peer-to-peer electronic cash system that is underpinned by blockchain technology. While it is diffi cult to reduce the complex concept of blockchain into one succinct defi ni on, it is widely accepted as a way for diff erent par es to agree on a common digital history. Reaching consensus on digital history is cri cal due to the ease with which digital assets and transac ons can be forged or duplicated. Currently one of the most popular buzzwords in technology, it is not surprising that u li es are beginning to look for possible applica ons for blockchain. The technology is on the radar, but it is yet to have major impact on many sectors. According to the UWL survey, blockchain scored an average of 4.7 out of 10 when respondents were asked to rate its current impact on transi on in their sector. But for blockchain specialist Electron, the technology is a fundamental part of the business and the solu ons it delivers for clients. "Electron is seeking to provide the necessary digital infrastructure to support the transi on to a smart grid and allow 100,000s of distributed devices to play their full role in balancing the grid," explains CEO Paul Massara. "In order to do this, the SO, DNOs and asset owners all need to work together." Massara acknowledges that there has been a lot of buzz around blockchain: "There has been a certain amount of hype as people have looked for applica ons in the energy sector. In reality many of these are not likely to make economic sense, when confronted with the way the energy market works today. At Electron we are solving a market problem – how to co-ordinate 100,000s of distributed assets – and believe that blockchain is an important enabler for aspects of this." CASE STUDY – BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT Electricity North West's (ENW's) recent partnership with Centrica exemplifi es how the company is successfully u lising innova on and technology to deliver smarter and more fl exible energy systems. The project involved suppor ng the comple on of Centrica's 49MW ba ery storage project in Roosecote, Cumbria – one of Europe's largest ba ery storage facili es. The works, which began in 2016, facilitated the refurbishment of Centrica's 132kV switchgear located within ENW's Roosecote substa on. "We were able to provide and manage a complex sequence of 132kV busbar and circuit outages to achieve the required safety and working clearances whilst also ensuring the essen al work didn't impact network resilience throughout the project," says ENW's engineering and technical director, Steve Cox. The work was completed in December 2018 and the ba ery, which consists of more than 100,000 ba ery cells, will have the storage capacity to hold enough power for approximately 50,000 homes. Cox adds: "The project showcases what can be achieved when key players work together and we're pleased to play a vital role in ensuring the successful delivery of one of the largest ba ery storage sites in Europe which will undoubtedly support the transi on to a more fl exible and innova ve energy system." technology in isola on is insuffi cient. Innova ve solu ons must be integrated into exis ng systems, which presents a complex challenge that cannot be resolved in a silo. "These can be demanding technical and commercial challenges, especially where the impacts of innova on cross boundaries between diff erent companies and 'across the meter' to homes, businesses and community enterprises," says Robo om. "Compa ble standards and opera ng procedures are key to any solu ons, but the fundamental missing link in the piece is that this coordina on task is not the responsibility of any of the exis ng par es. "This is a subset of a core problem that requires coherent systems thinking to drive and underpin resilient architectures, and then the systema c deployment of the right technologies and commercial/regulatory solu ons." This is an abridged version of the research. For a full copy of this report and to fi nd out more about U lity Week Live, visit: h ps://www.u lityweeklive.co.uk NETWORK / 8 / DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 NETWORK / 44 / MARCH 2019