The National Grid is to improve its control room by implementing a ‘Distributed Resource Desk’ with the aim of boosting supply flexibility.
A ‘Distributed Resource Desk’ has been launched by the National Grid which would allow the Electricity System Operator (ESO) to handle requests from smaller suppliers much quicker.
The system would allow ESO’s power system engineers to issue quicker instructions to small-scale power generators, battery storage operators and demand side response (DSR) providers.
The ‘Desk’ will help improve the effectiveness of the Balancing Mechanism (BM) market which opened last year. The National Grid expects the BM market to grow by 179% to 145MW.
In its first twenty four hours of operation, the Desk has already seen the ESO control room accept 87MWh of bids and offers from smaller generators, more than double the levels accepted in previous days.
These bids and offers consist of details regarding power capacity, time frames and pricing which are then accepted or rejected by the ESO to maintain supply levels at the lowest possible cost.
Claire Spedding, balancing programme director at National Grid ESO, said: “Putting a dedicated ‘Distributed Resource’ desk into the control room means we can create expertise in really understanding how these assets can contribute to balancing the nation’s electricity system.”
Industry feedback appears to be positive with a representative of Flexitricity, a Demand Side Response provider describing the system as a “huge step forward” for the National Grid and its implementation of a flexibility market.