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NETWORK / 27 / DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 take up of low carbon technolo- gies (LCT's), particularly demand from electric vehicles will have a significant impact on the LV elec- tricity distribution network. As a result, it is vital that both cus- tomers and distribution network operators (DNOs) have a better understanding of both the power flow and demand on the LV net - work and have solutions in place to accelerate the transition to the smart grid. The OpenLV Solution will support this transition by showcasing how communities, businesses and academics can utilise LV network data and/or deploy apps to devices installed in LV distribution substations." So how will the so„ware improve the capacity of the local electricity network? "Improving the capacity of the LV network is just one way we are seeking to prove the solution," adds Dale. "In terms of network capacity, apps will be deployed to increase the capacity of the LV network through real time thermal rating of the LV transformer and meshing the LV network." WPD is looking to develop apps to provide benefit from LV network data, and accord - ing to Dale, the OpenLV project will provide increased levels of knowledge about capacity on local electricity networks, which will be of benefit to a number of sectors. Project potential Dale believes the project also has the potential to deliver significant benefits to a range of stakeholders: network opera- tors, platform providers, third party developers and customers. He continued: "The OpenLV solution will provide consumers with network demand informa - tion for their local network and provide them with the ability to develop and deploy new apps to meet their local energy needs." The Future Power Systems Ar - chitecture (FPSA), commissioned by DECC (now Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)) and published by The Institution of Engineer - ing and Technology (IET) in July 2016, outlines four core pathways for power sector evolution over the next 15-20 years. Two of these pathways are: l Community empowerment: the power sector expands its facilitation role, empowering smart cities and energy com- munities with local markets and peer-to-peer trading. l Customer empowerment: the power sector becomes a facilitator empowering the emergence of new commercial parties, new business models, and new services. "OpenLV will provide a technological solution that will enable the goals of the above pathways to be realised," high - lights Dale, "The purpose of the project is to prove the overall OpenLV solution and understand the market potential to develop and deploy apps to support the transition to a smart and flexible energy system. If successful we want to ensure the so„ware can be transitioned from a research and innovation project to a commercial product available to all DNO's for installation in LV substations across the country." Main benefits of OpenLV l Network operators benefit through direct cost reduction by installing a single plat- form rather than multiple solutions and improved flex- ibility as the platform can be used to just provide network monitoring, network control or any number of functions through the deployment of single or multiple apps. l Platform providers benefit as hardware suppliers could supply one set of hardware to host multiple apps there- fore making the large scale roll out of these sorts of systems more cost effective. l Third party developers ben- efit as anyone can develop an app to be deployed. l Customers benefit through direct access to LV network data, via cost savings through the potential for de- ferred reinforcement costs, reduced DUoS costs and reduced connection costs. Other 2016 electricity NIC projects selected for funding Phoenix – will trial a novel combination of compensation equipment. The equipment will provide a new method of providing ancillary services (such as frequency regulation and voltage control) to the transmission system operator (SO), traditionally provided by large thermal generators. The project will also test how these services can be offered commercially, and investigate the associated agreements that need to be put in place for this to become a business as usual option across the network. Submitted by: Scottish Power Transmission (SPT) NIC funding awarded: £15.6m Transmission and Distribution Interface (TDI) 2.0 – will demonstrate how services traditionally offered by transmission-connected genera- tion to the SO (such as voltage stability and thermal capacity) can be provided by distribution-connected energy resources. The distribution company will effectively act as 'gatekeeper' in providing some of these services to the SO. Submitted by: National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) NIC funding awarded: £8m PowerFuL-CB – will develop, and test, two new types of circuit breaker to ease constraints caused by faults on the network, therefore making more capacity available. The aim is to show that increased capacity can aid the connection of distributed generation and district heating. Submitted by: UK Power Networks (UKPN) NIC funding awarded: £4.6m Ofgem's view A spokesperson said: "The Open LV project performed well across all our evaluation criteria when we assessed it. We funded the project through the 2016 Network Innova- tion Competition. Increasing levels of small-scale household electricity generation, storage and increasing use of electric vehicles will change how the lower voltage networks are used across Great Britain. This project is important because it will demonstrate how network operators, generators and consumers can interact better with one another. Open LV has the potential to save network customers money in the future through avoided network rein- forcement costs."