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Democratizing electricity distribution network analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2023

Myriam Neaimeh
Affiliation:
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom The Alan Turing Institute, London NW1 2DB, United Kingdom
Matthew Deakin*
Affiliation:
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom The Alan Turing Institute, London NW1 2DB, United Kingdom
Ryan Jenkinson
Affiliation:
Centre for Net Zero, UK House, London W1D 1NN, United Kingdom
Oscar Giles
Affiliation:
The Alan Turing Institute, London NW1 2DB, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: matthew.deakin@newcastle.ac.uk

Abstract

The uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy technologies is changing the magnitude, variability, and direction of power flows in electricity networks. To ensure a successful transition to a net zero energy system, it will be necessary for a wide range of stakeholders to understand the impacts of these changing flows on networks. However, there is a gap between those with the data and capabilities to understand electricity networks, such as network operators, and those working on adjacent parts of the energy transition jigsaw, such as electricity suppliers and EV charging infrastructure operators. This paper describes the electric vehicle network analysis tool (EVENT), developed to help make network analysis accessible to a wider range of stakeholders in the energy ecosystem who might not have the bandwidth to curate and integrate disparate datasets and carry out electricity network simulations. EVENT analyses the potential impacts of low-carbon technologies on congestion in electricity networks, helping to inform the design of products and services. To demonstrate EVENT’s potential, we use an extensive smart meter dataset provided by an energy supplier to assess the impacts of electricity smart tariffs on networks. Results suggest both network operators and energy suppliers will have to work much more closely together to ensure that the flexibility of customers to support the energy system can be maximized, while respecting safety and security constraints within networks. EVENT’s modular and open-source approach enables integration of new methods and data, future-proofing the tool for long-term impact.

Information

Type
Translational paper
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Figure 1. Traditional electric power system.

Figure 1

Table 1. Steps required to use power flow analysis to simulate and assess impacts of low carbon technologies on distribution network congestion.

Figure 2

Figure 2. EVENT user interface accessed through a web browser. Results section (right) is populated after a simulation run.

Figure 3

Figure 3. EVENT MV–LV network modeling approach, with the urban network shown.

Figure 4

Figure 4. EVENT demand and generation data interface.

Figure 5

Figure 5. Default PV dataset used.

Figure 6

Figure 6. Urban (right) and rural (left) demand profiles of GO users for a cold winter weekday.

Figure 7

Figure 7. Time-of-use tariffs minimizing evening electricity peak demand, with figures output directly from the EVENT tool (and therefore note different axes scales for the GO and CLNR profiles). The plotted (mean) profile smart_meter_profile_array_ is aggregated EV and non-EV demand for the GO case (right), whereas in the CLNR case (left) the smart_meter_profile_array_ profile represents disaggregated mean non-EV demand, and lv_ev_profile_array_ the mean EV demand profile.

Figure 8

Figure 8. Voltages at selected LV networks when all customers are allocated an “Octopus Go” load profile.

Figure 9

Figure 9. Urban versus rural grid impact on transformer utilization capacity.

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