Learnings

Outcomes

The project will deliver learnings on:

-        The network impact of changing load profiles and their interaction with changing wholesale price profiles

-        The potential mitigation options for this using implicit and explicit flexibility options

-        Understanding of customer views on different products that could be implemented, gathered through engagement 

-        Trial results of these options and implementation plans if they are successful

-        Distributional impacts of these options, and how to ensure vulnerable customers are protected and/or benefit from them

At this stage of the project, learnings have been delivered on the first two of these, and this information and analysis will be published on the project web page and disseminated once the write up has been reviewed and options for the trial have bene agreed with energy suppliers and aggregators.

Lessons Learnt

One learning from this first stage of the project is on the importance of early engagement with potential trial partners and other DNOs. Due to substantial engagement with flexibility providers and others DNOs, we have been able to see what the market wants to deliver and what solutions are already being delivered and/or trialled. This has allowed us to focus our attention on developing options that will be truly innovative and add value, as well as ensuring buy-in from potential participants from an early stage.

As planned, the primary focus of the analysis has been on the impact of changing LCT load profiles and their interaction with wholesale prices, we have learnt through engagement with energy suppliers and aggregators that it is not solely wholesale prices that influence their flexibility dispatch decisions. Other system services, imbalance positions, and carbon intensity of electricity were cited as other factors and are being considered as part of the trial options being explored.