Leading trade bodies from the UK’s renewables sector have united to form the Smart Power Industries Alliance (SPIA) in a bid to support the transition to a smarter, more agile power system. The cross-sector alliance has been formed by the likes of the Renewables Energy Association, Solar Trade Association, Energy UK and the Electricity Storage Network to work alongside the system operator National Grid. Solar Power Portal understands that SPIA has been in the works for around a year, with solar set to play a crucial role as the technology nears grid parity. The Solar Trade Association’s head of external affairs Leonie Greene has been at the forefront of the alliance’s formation with other trade associations championing the cause.
Solar Portal 24th Oct 2017 read more »
The UK will need smart technologies to combine variable renewables and inflexible nuclear powerplants and balance demand and supply in real time. That’s the view of Goran Strbac, Professor of Electrical Energy Systems at Imperial College London, who spoke to ELN at the launch of the Smart Power Industries Alliance in Westminster this week, which aims to create new markets for smart technologies. When asked about the challenges the UK faces as it moves to a smarter energy system, he said: “The core objective of all of this is to facilitate cost effective transition to a low carbon system and given that the UK is an island, our plan is to combine variable renewables and inflexible nuclear plants and that’s where the big challenge is, that’s why we need smart [technologies]. “[There will be] massive savings if we can change the way in which we balance demand and supply in real time and also manage the infrastructure flows and so forth, energy flows, that would reduce the cost and get us there at the lowest cost.”
Energy Live News 25th Oct 2017 read more »
The boom in renewable power and smart energy technologies has ignited a multi-billion dollar M&A frenzy that is set to drive the market for ‘electech’ in the coming years. Energy companies have been slowly acquiring and merging with firms that specialise in ‘big data’ technology and artificial intelligence (AI). That movement appears to have reached a tipping point after the number of deals doubled in the last year, and deal values ballooned. The roll-out of renewable energy and battery power is making the energy system more uncertain, prompting companies to tap the market for data providers that can help them forecast demand better, according to the report. Technologies such as rooftop solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicles all make it increasingly possible for consumers – including households – to manage their own energy supply and demand. This move may make energy use less predictable than in the past, but the boom in smart metering and digitally connected appliances will provide a deluge of data that could make the system more efficient than it was.
Telegraph 25th Oct 2017 read more »
