Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1122505
The report came on the back of fresh warn- ings from the International Panel on Climate Change about the imminent potential for irreversible global biodiversity damage due to global warming, and amid a swell in public demand for climate action, demonstrated via the Extinction Rebellion and the Youth Strike 4 Climate groups. The UK's energy networks are ready and willing to rise to the challenge laid down by the CCC and, at a transmission level, National Grid has already demonstrated it is capable of operating a dynamic system which can utilise distributed low carbon resources. As Network's House of Commons event took place, National Grid was celebrating its … rst full week operating the grid without the use of coal-… red generation since 1882. The ability to buy balancing services from distributed sys- tem participants was core to this achievement. But the full potential of a low carbon In association with: electricity grid will not be realised until distri- bution operators can also facilitate dynamic system balancing at a local level. Plans to transition distribution network operation to local system operation are well underway. But, as participants in Network's debate made clear, they will not be possible without signi… cant changes to existing operational tel- ecommunications infrastructure, which was only designed to support remote operation of network-owned assets. Future distribution system operators (DSOs) will need to support fast and resilient communication with millions of connected smart energy devices and distributed energy resources at the grid-edge, as well as an in- creasingly intelligent "… nal mile" of distribu- tion infrastructure. This volume and diversity of connectivity cannot be delivered using the bandwidth provided by legacy telemetry networks. Instead, a new suite of smart telecommu- nications options will be needed and, debate participants were adamant, this must include access to dedicated radio spectrum – ide- ally in a "sweet-spot" bandwidth of around 400MHz which o˜ ers both technical and economic bene… ts. Securing this frequency range for utilities usage is eminently possible – but requires clearance from the telecommunications regu- lator Ofcom which must prioritise spectrum demands from a number of competing interest groups. Encouragingly, Ofcom has already sig- nalled that it recognises the need to enable smart grids and is in the early stages of a joint project with Ofgem to review available and practical options for dedicated smart utilities spectrum. However, the timeline and scope for this project is currently unclear and there is industry concern that it will not deliver the No smart grid without smart telecoms There is an immediate priority for the UK's energy networks to secure long term access to additional radio spectrum and enable the data-rich operational telecommunications systems needed for smart grid functionality. This is essential to enable the transition from distribution network operation to distribution system operation at a local level and support the growth of a smart, low carbon power system. In addition, it could bring even greater decarbonisation benefi ts to the UK by allowing more granular monitoring and control of the gas network, which will also encounter operational telecommunications challenges as the number of injection points and the range of gas products (with varying thermal properties) increase over time. To deliver the many benefi ts associated with the creation of smart energy networks, operators must work closely with government and relevant regulators to ensure the appropriate policy frameworks and investment regimes are in place to enable the deployment of this enhanced operational telecoms capability. Without the appropriate policy interventions, the much-anticipated benefi ts of a thriving low carbon economy will not be realised. This close working between industry, government and policy makers must establish a clear understanding of the specifi c requirements that smart energy utilities will have of their future operational telecoms solutions. For example, the wide geographic distribution of the energy networks' assets, alongside the need to access remote fi xed assets reliably and consistently – typically using low power equipment – means that spectrum allocation in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band [300 MHz to 3 GHz] is preferable. Furthermore, spectrum in this UHF band would be the most cost-effective choice for smart grid applications, since today's network operators already have existing assets making use of this frequency range. Alongside the efforts of government and regulators to deliver the spectrum access smart utilities need, it is also important that energy network operators play their part by working together to establish a standardised approach to technology deployment and operations which can allow the benefi ts of enhanced telecommunications capabilities to be applied to the whole UK energy system in an effi cient and cost effective manner. Fundamentally you can't have smart networks without enhanced communications capability. Peter Couch, chief executive, JRC future operational telecoms solutions. For example, the wide geographic distribution of the energy networks' assets, alongside the need to access remote fi xed assets reliably and consistently – typically using low power equipment – means that spectrum allocation in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band [300 MHz to 3 GHz] is preferable. Furthermore, spectrum in this UHF band would be the most cost-effective choice for smart grid applications, since today's network operators already have existing assets Alongside the efforts of government and regulators to deliver the spectrum access smart utilities need, it is also important that energy network operators play their part by working together to establish a standardised approach to technology deployment and operations which can allow the benefi ts of enhanced telecommunications NETWORK / 11 / JUNE 2019