Although the project has relevance to the challenges on whole system integration and heat, its scope is most clearly associated with the challenge for data and digitalisation:
- Automated pressure management software, and the use of near real time data and machine-learning techniques, will contribute to better coordination, planning and network optimisation
- Increased injection of biomethane and hydrogen into the network will:
- Enable progress towards net zero
- Enable strategic outcomes from other challenges e.g. decarbonisation of heat
The project directly addresses as its primary focus points 7 and 9 in the challenge scope definition:
Point 7: this project will use novel sensor technology in order to improve visibility of the condition of network infrastructure, and make data-driven decisions about that infrastructure
Point 9: this project will use of data, combined with machine-learning and AI techniques, to improve the forecasting abilities of both demand on the network, and required maintenance and interventions.
Utonomy employs a multi-disciplinary engineering team, with specialist technical capabilities in electronics design for hazardous areas, data science and machine learning, industrial IoT and digital communications technologies, cyber security, and cloud-hosted software applications. These skills have been demonstrated in the successfully completed Pressure Management and Control NIA.
SGN and Utonomy have developed a successful and innovative partnership over several years via a collaborative NIA-funded project. Through this NIA project, Utonomy has built considerable understanding of the operation and management of gas networks. Likewise, SGN have continued to gain understanding of this technology's wider potential application across its networks. This combined understanding provides a firm R&D partnership from which to launch this project. Before this SIF project's Discovery phase, Utonomy will have completed two relevant Innovate UK projects - Biomethane Feed-in and Intelligent Gas Grid Control (IGGC). Both projects will also positively inform this project.
The potential users of the innovation include the network, planning, maintenance and operational teams within GDNs in the UK and worldwide. These users' needs include maintaining network safety, ensuring security of the
gas supply, providing operational efficiency & reducing maintenance opex, reducing reinforcement capex, reducing environmental impact, and providing value for money for consumers and stakeholders.
Problem Bring Solved
Gas distribution networks today use a mixture of pressure control techniques, many of which are still manual in nature. Many governors are adjusted seasonally, consuming valuable engineering resources and using conservatively high pressures. At this stage in UK gas network evolution, significant steps are being taken by GDNs to lower carbon footprints, including effective use of green gas, however there is more work to be done: there are still occasions where biomethane plants lose gas through wasteful flaring if unable to feed into the grid. If alternative greener gases such as biomethane or blended hydrogen are not managed efficiently, there is potential for further 'imbalance'.
Proven via a recently completed NIA-funded project, Utonomy's remote pressure control technology can be used as the foundation on which to build towards full network digitalisation and create smarter networks. It will enable pressures to be automatically optimised across the network, leading to greater network efficiencies and increased capacity for injection of biomethane and hydrogen, all contributing to the transition to net zero.
If comprehensive network performance data can be readily collected and analysed in near real time, this will enable unexpected network occurrences such as gas escapes, water ingress, extreme cold weather and subsequent demand peaks to be detected, diagnosed and actioned earlier. This will increase overall network resilience and ultimately help to reduce costs.
Proposed innovations are aimed at solving:
- Increased need for feed-in capacity of biomethane and hydrogen
- Methane leakage from older networks
- Need for more comprehensive and accurate near real time data on asset and network performance and condition
- Need for faster detection and diagnosis of network excursions
- Need for improved operational efficiency
The opportunities:
- Increased injection of renewable gas
- Reduced methane leakage
- Lower costs for consumers
- Reduced number of reported escapes
- Use of flow and pressure data to detect and diagnose network anomalies and faults
- Monitoring and analysis of governor data enabling preventative maintenance and early warning of failure
- Reduced reinforcement capex and asset maintenance costs
- Increased percentage of Repex via insertion
- Dashboards and near real time reporting of KPIs
- Network digitalisation: integration and standardisation of existing and future asset management and telemetry systems
- End-to-end autonomous management of gas networks combining predictive and reactive technology concepts
Impacts and benefits
The most significant expected benefits are:
- Reduction in methane emissions
- Increase feed-in capacity of biomethane and hydrogen
- Predict and reduce gas escapes
Predict the occurrence of faults on key network assets
- Summarise the health and ongoing performance of the gas network
- Improve Repex efficiency – more insertion and less open cut
- Meet increased demand through pressure management rather than capex
Net benefits to consumers:
- Reduced operating costs will be passed on to consumers in the next price review (GD3)
- Customer surveys indicate that a high proportion of gas customers would welcome reductions in methane emissions and progress towards to net zero
- Improved customer service if network problems can be fixed more quickly
Discovery considered eight Opportunity Areas (OAs), for which potential benefits and impacts were analysed and an impact framework developed. Impact was assessed against four key criteria: cost savings, carbon reduction, customer experience, and operational efficiencies. The full impact assessment for each initial OA is presented in Appendix 2.
In Discovery, potential benefits have been assessed through a combination of stakeholder input and high-level statistics. Given the wide potential set of use cases, the Discovery Phase has therefore focused on assessing all initial OAs that maximise the value of AI with remote pressure control technology.
The project will create associated benefits as follows:
End consumer
- Lower gas bills through reduced distribution costs
- Faster resolution of network problems
- Less disruption through fewer gas escapes
Economic benefits for supply chain, broader industry, and the UK economy
- Create high skilled jobs in Utonomy (SME)
- Develop UK AI capability with application to energy networks
- There is significant interest in this technology in US and Europe which will lead to increased exports
- Will increase demand for Utonomy hardware (pressure management) benefitting supply chain
- Increased number of biomethane plants will create jobs in rural communities
- Will increase revenue of biomethane plants stimulating further investment
Impact on government priorities
- Digitalisation of the grid is necessary if it is to be repurposed in the future to carry Hydrogen
Environmental impacts
- Reduction in methane emissions
- Enables use of renewable gas
Expected regional or wider energy supply resilience benefits
- Reduces imports of gas by using more biomethane
Impacts on consumers of the whole energy system
- Reduces costs of distribution through increased efficiency and reduced unaccounted for gas
- Using locally produce gas-biomethane reduces reliance on gas imports
