In order to support a carbon-neutral power system, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) has agreed to employ specialised modelling tools to identify potential grid growth.
The long-term contract is with Exemplar Energy for its PLEXOS energy market simulation technology.
A higher level of integration and automation of present procedures will be provided to the National Grid ESO by the software platform, which will also support offshore network modelling for proposed wind farms, model and help reduce the chance of outages, and deliver these functions.
Full European Datasets from Energy Exemplar are also supplied for analysis of the UK’s integration into the neighbouring European energy market.
Future iterations of the Future Energy Scenarios, which outline potential routes to net zero by or before 2050, will be shaped in part by this new data modelling tool.
Additionally, PLEXOS will contribute to the development of the Network Operations Assessment report, a yearly publication of the National Grid ESO that is legally compulsory and makes recommendations for which transmission system strengthening projects should receive funding.
The flexibility of PLEXOS, which supports nodal modelling for more detailed future planning, co-optimization of gas and power, as well as scalable cloud computing infrastructure, led to its selection.
A three-year fixed duration and two one-year optional extensions are included in the contract.
Senior Vice President and Head of EMEA at Energy Exemplar, Michael Schneidersaid “The next few years will be crucial to lay the foundation for this transition and the ability to integrate new technologies at scale.”
“Our software PLEXOS will provide a key capability to support the continued and proud tradition of UK energy innovation which started in 1881, when Britain provided the world’s first public power supply in Godalming, Surrey, with energy generated from a water wheel.”
Enhanced Network Capability Development Manager at National Grid ESO, Iain Shepherd, said “PLEXOS will further strengthen the analysis the ESO undertakes to identify the optimal pathways to net zero and will support the ESO in assessing the optimal pathways for future network infrastructure decisions, ensuring that we can continue to deliver a network that is secure, reliable and delivers value for consumers as we move towards net zero.”
