Utility Week

20 | 4th - 10th November 2016 | UtILItY WeeK Operations & Assets Market view D istribution Network Operators (DNOs) have a range of stakeholders, but the customer must be at the centre of eve- rything they do. The energy regulatory sys- tem in Great Britain obligates and motivates DNOs, such as Scottish and Southern Elec- tricity Networks, to ensure the highest lev- els of cost-effectiveness and reliability while helping to facilitate a low carbon future. In this series of articles, we have shown how the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks-led New Thames Valley Vision (NTVV) project, a Low Carbon Networks (LCNF) project, has been trialling innovative ways of achieving these aims. It has done this through intelligent new methods to monitor, model and manage the network. However, NTVV was about more than this – it also placed a great emphasis on the way a DNO engages and interacts with its customers. Customer communication The traditional distribution network model assumes a one-way flow of electricity from generators to consumers. The principal duty of the DNO is to safely connect customers and ensure reliability of supply. As a result, the main DNO/customer interface is at the time of connection or at the event of disrup- tion. However, the future will see increased use of distributed generation, storage and electric vehicles, resulting in a complex multi-directional electricity flow. In order to plan and operate in this environment, DNOs need an even more complete overview of the flow of electricity and state of the net- work, and this means improved customer communication. NTVV gave Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks the opportunity to investigate how enhanced DNO/customer co-operation can result in a more efficient and cost-effective network. NTVV engaged domestic and small and medium-sized busi- ness customers through technological inno- vation, consumer events and third party support such as with local councils. As well as helping to support the network, this inter- action has the added benefits of informing the public about issues related to energy and sustainability as well as identifying high pri- ority customers, an energy regulator Ofgem obligation. NTVV approached customers via a num- ber of different routes including events, newsletters, a website and a low carbon community advice centre: "Your Energy Mat- ters". This was opened in Bracknell High Street in December 2013, and by May 2014 had welcomed 3,000 visitors. It contained displays and advice on low carbon technolo- gies that could realistically bring benefits to consumers. The centre yielded lessons on how best to engage the general public. Because most consumers do not normally make a trip into the centre of town, especially not to get energy advice, there needed to be an inter- esting and attractive front display. A Twizy electric vehicle on loan from Renault, which was parked within Your Energy Matters, proved to be a very successful visitor draw. The centre also needed to have a clear and consistent mission statement. The mate- rials on display needed to teach consumers how to meet their energy needs in a sustain- able way and show that this was not a show- room for selling hardware, as many initial visitors supposed. Your Energy Matters was also used as a venue for events focused on the local area, each highlighting a particular aspect of low carbon technology, from low-energy light- ing to efficient household appliances. The most successful event was the March 2014 Low Carbon Day. This had a clear theme and measurable objective of causing a sig- nificant reduction in electricity consumption in Bracknell for one hour between 5pm and 6pm on a weekday. It was held across the town through a series of activities, accom- panied by marketing, presentations, school talks, social and online media etc, all of which helped to deliver an exciting, interest- ing and successful event. NTVV also maintained contact with a domestic focus group (DFG). Each partici- The low carbon home front Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' NTVV trial found that to get households and small businesses on board the low carbon revolution, DNOs need to be creative in the way they sell it. A low carbon community advice centre called "Your energy matters" proved especially successful

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