Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | FEBRUARY 2022 | 41 investment and management decisions with- out the need to do anything on the physical system itself," Tortora says. In its project work thus far, for example, National Grid has consulted the Australian Energy Market Operator about its approach and timeline to deliver Australia's Energy Digital Twin, as well as taking lessons from a number of transmission and systems opera- tors across Europe currently exploring their own digital twins. "In the US, Vibrant Clean Energy has cre- ated a non-real-time digital twin based on publicly available data," Tortora adds. "Its digital twin and simulators are widely used in the US by utilities and commercial busi- nesses to model di† erent grid scenarios and to inform investment opportunities." She also ‡ ags the "big gains" yielded by the Mercedes Formula One team's use of digital twin technology as well as its role in the Food and Drug Administration's Covid vaccine emergency approval process – which proved crucial in accelerating the develop- ment of vaccine quantities in record time. "Mercedes' race time digital twin illus- trated di† erent probability functions for cars in races," she explains. "Scenarios were built out of behavioural patterns from each driver as well as the technical characteristics of cars in combination with track and weather conditions. The analysis of these probability functions and their interactions has resulted in more dynamic advice being given to driv- ers in real time, to enhance performance and deliver competitive advantage. "Additionally, vast amounts of data from previous drug tests was collected and used to simulate possible reactions to speci‹ c com- pounds within the Covid vaccine," Tortora says. "Tests were then carried out on the unknown or uncertain elements, enabling it to be managed in parallel with the response protocol, versus going through the usual longer testing process." Environmental bene ts In the long run, Tortora explains that the Virtual Energy System's ability to inform decision-making across the energy eco- system can help the sector hit targets in areas such as decarbonisation and uphold broader environmental pledges. "For example, as the energy system moves towards greater automation and ‡ exibility, the digital twin will enable us to simulate and model di† erent scenarios and options digitally before making any physical changes," she says. "This will better equip us to keep pace with changes taking place." It's also forecast that insights generated by the project will help open new market opportunities and business models and accelerate innovation by enabling more transparency on the energy system, while enabling consumers to measure their own carbon footprint – and provide options to reduce it. "Longer term, this could extend to con- sumers actively contributing to the GB energy system through domestic energy gen- eration – saving money on their bills while helping advance net zero," Tortora adds. The Virtual Energy System has been in development since the beginning of 2021 with the ESO undergoing a planning phase to engage key stakeholders, appoint a tech- nical consultancy to develop common frame- work and principles and to explore user cases to illustrate the bene‹ ts of the system. Finance will be initially provided by Inno- vation funding – primarily a combination of Network Innovation Allowance and the Strategic Innovation Fund with National Grid also poised to engage additional partners as the programme develops. Stuart Stone, editor, Utility Week Innovate Utility Week Live 2022 See this content brought to life at Utility Week Live, 17-18 May 2022, NEC Birmingham New approaches to asset management and maintenance and Delivering smart energy networks are among the frontline challenges at the heart of Utility Week Live 2022's live content programme. View the challenges and be alerted for tickets to the industry's most eagerly awaited reunion at utilityweeklive.co.uk

• Cover