Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/895363
NETWORK / 24 / NOVEMBER 2017 INTERVIEW lot of technology and di er- ent business models coming to the market. We want to bring these things together for the bene t of all our customers. The key thing is to enable opportunities, keep the lights on and keep the bills down too. Q: The opportunity for the consumer seems clear. But as a network, how do you see opportunities for your own operation thanks to the smart grid? Could it streamline your operations, for example? SG: One of our areas of op- eration where we are deploying smart grid solution is customer connections. Since 2012, we have been developing innovation to o er cheaper and faster connec- tions which is now o ered as business as usual. It is a smart so• ware-hardware solution cou- pled with a commercial concept that allows customers to connect to the grid without the need for excessive upgrades. Our Flexible Distributed Generation project has now connected more than 100MW in this manner and has saved customers £70m in connec- tion costs. We've also connected electric bus depots in south London using a variation of that technology, which allows the bus operator to charge electric buses at times of low load. Q: Are your surprised by the speed at which the energy system is changing? SG: No. I am not surprised at all. We are the forefront of this change, so we follow develop- ments closely. We horizon scan and talk to all the relevant stake- holders. We are aiming to be pro- active in facilitating the change, rather than reactive. The pace of change is unprecedented, when you compare it to say, when I joined UK Power Networks in 2005, but we are organised to manage this in a practical man- ner, whether it's through leading indicators, monitoring of trends, or monitoring of data ' ows on the network that indicate emerg- ing issues. We also have good links to international utilities that have experience in di erent parts of the world. SOTIRIS GEORGIOPOULOS, UK POWER NETWORKS Sotiris Georgiopoulos is the head of smart grid development at UK Power Networks, responsible for business roll-out of innovation projects and the delivery of UK Power Networks' DSO strategy. Sotiris has more than 10 years' experience with UK Power Net- works in the areas of innovation, construction and energy services development. Before being appointed head of smart grid development he was project lead fl exible generation connections. Sotiris was responsible for scale up and rollout of the innovative methods developed under the Flexible Plug and Play project and business change required, reporting to the director of asset management. He has also served as low carbon senior project manager where he was responsible for the delivery of the £10m, three- year award-winning project, Flexible Plug and Play from its inception to its completion. The Flexible Plug and Play pro- ject developed innovative techni- cal and commercial solutions for connection of renewable/distrib- uted generation in constrained distribution networks. "The smart grid is all about opportunities. It is an enabler for all customers to participate either directly or indirectly through technology and automation in more effi cient management of the energy system." SOTIRIS GEORGIOPOULOS, UK POWER NETWORKS