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NETWORK / 32 / MARCH 2020 S ince being awarded £13.8 million from the UK Government's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund in April 2019, Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) has made significant progress in testing and demonstrating the technical and economic under - pinnings that could define the future smart grid. Melanie Bryce, who leads on the project for SSEN, outlines the scope: "Project LEO is a hugely ambitious and exciting project, in fact one of the most innovative and holistic smart grid trials ever conducted in the UK. Its objective is to trial the foundations of the future energy system, encouraging the growth of local markets, community engagement and supporting the development of low carbon tive manner, as Bryce explains: "We describe the net zero challenge in terms of the four 'd's, which are decarbonisation, democratisation, decentralisa - tion and digitalisation. In other words, net zero is just part of what is driving the transition, alongside changes within local communities and local genera - tors who now view their role within the energy sector differ- ently. Technological develop- ment also presents major chal- lenges and opportunities." Project LEO's first objective is to prove the technical feasibil- ity of future energy markets. For example, can the deploy- ment of flexibility give network operators a valuable alterna- tive to investment in network reinforcement, whilst delivering a resilient network that can support the increased demand that net zero will bring? SMART GRID The pride of Oxfordshire Network catches up with Melanie Bryce, Oxfordshire programme director at Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), to discuss Project LEO, one of the most wide-ranging and holistic smart grid trials ever conducted in the UK KEY POINTS: l Project LEO established to improve the understanding of the possibilities surrounding the transition to a smarter, flexible electricity system l Alongside technical challenges, the project is looking at the viability of localised economic markets l Current trials include a behind-the-meter battery charging system for local bus company and a hydroelectric power station on the River Thames technologies and solutions." Project LEO benefits from a wide breadth of expertise, with project partners including leading social enterprise, Low Carbon Hub, leading academics from the Universities of Oxford and Oxford Brookes, alongside Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Council. "A smarter energy system will provide new opportunities for communities to engage and for low carbon technologies to compete with solutions in an open and fair market," says Bryce. "LEO is testing how we turn the aspiration of a system that supports community engagement, into a reality. Ensuring project partners reflect a wide range of stakeholders is critical to our success." Projects, like LEO, will be critical in informing how the UK gets to net zero in a cost-effec -