By combining innovative technical and commercial solutions with existing assets, the FLARE project will make that vision a reality.

FLARE utilises an intelligent Fault Level Assessment Tool coupled with two novel technical solutions and a revolutionary commercial concept. This commercial concept will benefit customers by establishing a new market in which they can participate to solve network fault level issues.

The Fault Level Assessment Tool provides a platform from which a range of innovative fault level mitigation techniques can be adaptively controlled. FLARE will actively monitor demand and generation on the network, continually assess the fault level and automatically enable one of the innovative techniques when necessary. This is the first time that fault level will be actively managed on 6.6kV, 11kV and 33kV networks.

Combining existing assets and innovative solutions in this way will accelerate the uptake of low carbon demand and renewable generation, avoid the need to replace expensive switchgear and cables prematurely and deliver savings to all distribution network customers.

The FLARE Method releases the same capacity as traditional reinforcement but up to 18 times faster and at much lower cost – up to 80% cheaper – potentially saving GB £2.3 billion by 2050.

Objectives

1. To trial the Fault Level Assessment Tool software;

2. To trial two technical and one commercial techniques which, when deployed on existing network infrastructure, will provide effective and efficient fault level control;

3. To deliver novel and highly transferable solutions that can be applied to the HV and EHV networks by any GB DNO; and

4. To demonstrate release of network capacity allowing quick and lower cost connection for customers’ demand and generation, enabling DNOs to support the UK’s decarbonisation strategy.