Europe | December 10, 2021

GE announces smart grid project

UK: GE Digital has announced that it is partnering with its valued customer UK Power Networks on a world-first smart substation project.

 

Image source: GE Digital

UK: GE Digital has announced that it is partnering with its valued customer UK Power Networks on a world-first smart substation project.

The project, known as Constellation, is designed to optimize utilization of the distribution network to facilitate the rise of renewable energy generation across the United Kingdom.

Constellation is a world-first innovation project that will see powerful computers installed in a series of substations, turning them into smart substations. To do this, Constellation will leverage advances in software engineering, machine learning, and system optimization to make substations interoperable and secure. The project aims to release 1.4 GW of capacity (enough to power more than 700,000 homes) and save consumers more than $990 M (£750 M) by 2050. It is also forecast to save more than 17.8 MT of harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

As the share of renewables in the electricity mix continues to grow, network operators are increasingly looking at ways to integrate them into the grid more efficiently. The Constellation project will develop a model that can be used to help UK Power Networks with an anticipated increase in distributed energy resources and to move the country closer to its 2050 target for zero carbon electricity. Renewable power generation and DERs like electric vehicles and solar, connected to regional networks, are forecast to grow tremendously by 2050.

“Constellation marks a transformation in the way electricity networks operate,” said Jim Walsh, General Manager of GE Digital’s Grid Software business. “It will release reliable grid capacity in previously constrained situations. The combination of high-resolution data, advanced analytics, and flexible controls enable the network to operate reliably within its capability without over-conservative limits. It will also provide a foundation for additional smart solutions, further benefiting customers.”

Source: GE Digital