Project Partners

• Isentropic
• Western Power Distribution

Overview

The ETI has invested £14 million in a project led by Isentropic to demonstrate the feasibility of a revolutionary new approach to storing electricity at grid scale. The deal will enable Isentropic to grow to triple its workforce by the end of 2012. As part of the agreement ETI will become a
minority equity shareholder in Isentropic.

Isentropic is a private company, founded in 2007 to exploit its Pumped Heat Electricity Storage (PHES) technology for large-scale energy storage. Using Isentropic’s innovative combined heat pump/heat engine, electricity is used to create a large temperature difference (500 C hot and -160 C cold), which can then be stored in two low cost gravel silos. Recombining the hot and cold regenerates the electricity with an overall efficiency of 75%.
 

With a budget of £15.7 million, the project will develop and demonstrate a cost-effective 1.5MW/6MWh energy storage device that will operate on a UK primary substation owned by Western Power Distribution (WPD) in the Midlands. It is hoped that once tested, it could be rolled out across the UK where there are approximately 5,000 substations with a suitable power range of between 12MW and 24MW, bringing with it cost benefits for consumers of electricity.

To view ETI Chief Executive David Clarke discuss this project click here.

Project Partners

• SKM

Overview

The project examined the specific challenges and opportunities arising from the connection of offshore energy to the UK grid system and considered the impact of large-scale offshore development. It also looked at novel electrical system designs and control strategies that could be developed to collect, manage and transmit energy back to shore and identified and assessed innovative technology solutions to these issues and quantified their benefits.

Project Partners

• Mott MacDonald

Overview

The Network Capacity project identified and assessed new technology solutions that could enhance transmission and distribution capacity in the UK. It assessed the feasibility and quantified the benefits of using innovative approaches and novel technologies to provide improved management of power flows and increased capacity, enabling the increasing deployment of renewable energy sources in the UK.

Project Partners

• Buro Happold

Overview

Heat is the biggest end use of energy in the UK, accounting for 44% of the country’s energy consumption, most of this used for heating homes and providing hot water.

This project examines the feasibility of capturing large quantities of waste heat from power stations and industrial processes and storing it underground for use later in homes and offices. 

It is investigating the cost effectiveness and practicalities of storing large quantities of heat for long periods to meet a significant proportion of the UK’s winter demand, evaluating the practical limits for this type of storage, the technology development needs and where in the country large-scale heat storage could be most effectively exploited.

Project Partners

• Applied Superconductor
• Western Power Distribution
• E.ON
• Rolls-Royce

Overview

Fault current levels are becoming a significant barrier to the installation of low-carbon and other distributed generation. Management of these fault levels is also a key enabler for the growth of smart distribution systems, offering improved operation, flexibility and efficiency.

This project will develop and demonstrate a resistive superconducting fault current limiter device, which will reduce the impact of faults on electricity distribution networks, helping the cost effective growth and increased flexibility and reliability of distribution systems, with more low carbon electricity generation installed in the distribution system.

It will be developed by Applied Superconductor Ltd, based in Blyth, Northumberland, in partnership with Rolls-Royce, and will be installed on the network at a Western Power Distribution substation in Loughborough, Leicestershire. E.ON will act as technical consultants.

Project Partners

• GridON
• UK Power Networks
• E.ON

Overview

Fault current levels are becoming a significant barrier to the installation of low-carbon and other distributed generation.

Management of these fault levels is also a key enabler for the growth of smart distribution systems, offering improved operation, flexibility and efficiency.

This project will therefore develop and demonstrate a pre-saturated core fault current limiter device, which will reduce the impact of faults on electricity distribution networks, help the cost-effective growth and increased flexibility and reliability of distribution systems, with more low-carbon electricity generation installed in the distribution system. 

It will be developed by GridON, based in Tel Aviv, Israel, and will be demonstrated in service at a UK Power Networks substation in Newhaven, East Sussex. E.ON will act as technical consultants.

Project Partners

• Buro Happold

Overview

By 2050 the UK will need to be meeting stringent targets requiring an 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions, whilst maintaining a sufficient supply of energy. In order to appropriately assess the opportunities for meeting these targets, it is necessary to understand, amongst other things, the costs and performance of the energy infrastructure that will carry energy from where it is generated to where it is consumed.

The 2050 Energy Infrastructure Outlook project will provide data on the costs and performance associated with key types of fixed energy infrastructure as well as identifying possible ‘grey areas’ where technology development could
significantly influence cost and performance. The intention is that this data will be used subsequently to assess the relative merits of different infrastructure options, given different energy generation and demand scenarios.