An innovative project aimed at understanding and managing the effects of climate change on electricity networks has received a significant funding boost.
Electricity North West’s ‘CoolDown’ project has received £500,000 innovation funding to explore how homes and businesses can use air conditioning systems flexibly to help balance electricity demand throughout the day, reducing the need for additional expensive infrastructure.
Neil McClymont, head of innovation at Electricity North West, said: “Due to the effects of climate change, we’re seeing an increase in the use of air conditioning in homes and offices which could add additional strain to the electricity grid at peak times.
“Rather than just build a bigger network, which would be disruptive and expensive for bill payers, this project will help us understand and manage the impact in the most efficient way, managing extra demand through innovative commercial agreements, which could also save customers money.”
CoolDown is funded by energy network users and consumers through the Strategic Innovation Fund, an Ofgem programme managed in partnership with Innovate UK.
Expert assessors stated that the project “has a clear potential to deliver benefits to consumers as it could incentivise flexibility around cooling which offers financial benefits to consumers and would reduce the need for network investment costs at the same time.”
Electricity North West will deliver the project in conjunction with Guidehouse Europe, UCL Consultants, Impact Research, Oaktree Power and National Grid Electricity Distribution.
The fund supports network innovation that will contribute to achieving net zero rapidly and at lowest cost and deliver real net benefits to network companies, energy users and consumers. It aims to work with other public funders of innovation so that activities appropriately funded by energy users and consumers are co-ordinated with activities funded by the Government.
Electricity North West’s previous innovation projects include CLASS and Smart Street which together could save customers more than a billion pounds from their energy bills if rolled out nationally.
The Cooldown project is a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in the face of climate change. With this new funding, the project is poised to make significant strides in its mission to create a more sustainable future.
