Super DuPPR is exploring how Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) on network assets, like batteries, solar panels, or heat pumps, could be used for extra purposes, such as helping balance supply and demand. The project will also examine ways to overcome potential barriers, making the electricity network more flexible and efficient.
What is the project about?
Historically, national critical infrastructure has relied on non-renewable reserve power systems, such as diesel generators. As the Net Zero transition progresses, operators are expected to adopt low-carbon technologies (LCTs) to replace these systems, which may require upgrades to existing agreements. Super DuPPR explores the potential benefits of using LCTs on these assets for additional purposes, such as providing network flexibility, and investigates the barriers and innovative solutions that could enable this.
How we’re doing it
The Discovery Phase aims to assess the potential of using embedded capacity in national infrastructure assets for flexibility and the benefits this could deliver. This will involve modelling the impact of weather on different assets to determine the available capacity. Research will also examine the barriers and user journey for reserve power participation in flexibility. The findings will be used to produce a cost–benefit analysis, demonstrating the value to both distribution networks and consumers.
What makes it innovative
Reserve power systems are typically fleets of diesel generators that activate during extreme weather events. Super DuPPR proposes replacing them with actively managed batteries that use risk-based weather modelling to determine when capacity can be safely released for flexibility purposes. Coordination with electricity networks will be essential to ensure whole-system benefits are considered. To make this approach practical, innovations in existing services will be needed to provide sufficient scale, making the proposition attractive to the owners and operators of these reserve power units.
What we’re learning
The Discovery phase of Super DuPPR will help us understand:
The barriers and opportunities for using reserve power systems of national infrastructure for additional purposes.
How much capacity could realistically be available for these purposes, and for how long throughout the year.
The potential benefits that using this capacity could bring to both our network and our consumers.
Share your ideas
If you have an idea that could reshape or revolutionise the way we work, we want to hear from you.
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