As energy systems fundamentally change in a way not seen before, radical systems-level thinking is critical to adapt. The current balancing process is highly manual, placing increasing pressures on engineers. To overcome this, the ESO needs to design and develop optimisation tools that improve advice to the control room engineer. This project will deliver a consistent modelling approach to progressively handle new components and components that are currently resolved manually. The project aims to develop an Underpinning Balancing Model (UBM) and map existing manual processes to analytical equations aligned with the UBM.  This will help develop a strategic approach to address control room challenges and needs, holistically formulating the balancing problem and informing future system design within a coherent mathematical framework. 

Benefits

This project will deliver a mathematical framework to enable improved understanding and clear development of robust requirements needed to define the set of interlocking optimisation problems. The MSBO will also deliver clarity on the market inputs that future balancing optimiser tools will require, providing the ESO with a well-founded model and understanding that can be used to transparently engage with market players to facilitate future market changes that may be required. This project will also help identify areas to automate or improve processes that are currently resolved manually, increasing balancing efficiency whilst handling the increased complexity of a net zero decentralised grid,