Rural Energy and Community Heat (REACH)

Network operators	National Grid Electricity Distribution
Funding mechanism	Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)
Duration	Mar 2024 - Jun 2024
Project expenditure	£160K
Research area	Optimised Assets and Practices

Project Summary

Rural Energy and Community Heat (REACH) will work closely with rural community energy groups to learn what their decarbonisation priorities are, and develop a modular rural energy centre that can accelerate their decarbonisation. The solution can offer communities shared low carbon heating, rapid EV charging, and renewable generation in an area where commercial markets may not serve customers and where the electricity network has limited capacity. Working closely with community energy groups, NGED connections, and innovative suppliers, the project will evaluate the feasibility of a novel way to help customers make cost effective decarbonisation plans coordinated with wider development plans.

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• Problem(s)

  Government policy to reduce carbon emissions directs domestic properties to shift towards electrification of heating, transportation and installation of local and small- scale renewable energy and storage. This has a significant impact on the usage of electrical networks, necessitating infrastructure upgrades to lift capacity. This will be most challenging in rural areas that make up just over 21% of UK population. To promote best value for consumers, we need transitional solutions to ensure many rural customers can choose to adopt low carbon technologies when it suits them, even if it is ahead of network upgrades. NGED's SILVERSMITH project, funded through the Network Innovation Allowance, found that rural Low Voltage networks require a higherthan-average percentage of intervention to facilitate the uptake of Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) when compared to urban environments. By addressing this challenge, this project meets the needs of Whole System Network Planning and Utilisation Challenge statement, particularly focusing on the aims of accelerating connection times for renewables and demand sites with the focus theme of supporting customers in making cost-effective decarbonisation choices. We will work closely with rural community energy groups to identify their decarbonisation aspirations, and assess whether limited network capacity inhibits the connection of these LCTs. After better understanding the size of the market, we will trial at least one novel modular EV Charging, generation, storage, and innovative shared heat solution to facilitate community energy aspirations. The scope will adopt a strategic approach that identifies barriers to LCT adoption with primary objectives focussing on heat and transport. Additionally, it will help deliver wider positive outcomes for the wider rural communities by tackling their unique issues such as dependence on heating oil for heating and reduced resilience from conventional electricity supplies. The modular technology being tested aligns with 3 of the 4 SIF challenges set for this round of applications. In addition to whole system planning, the solution is developing novel technical approaches to deliver an equitable and secure net zero power system as well as unlocking energy system flexibility that accelerates the electrification of rural heating. This solution leverages the benefits of an adaptable and scalable deployment model allowing it to be tailored to a community's specific needs. Following a successful beta trial, community groups will benefit from using the project's learning to make more informed decisions around accelerating decarbonisation and following a successful route to market, benefit from the standardisation of products.

• Innovation Justification

  Previous research has demonstrated that the adoption of LCTs is incompatible with existing infrastructure due to the potential increase in peak demand in excess of 20 kW per household. To support these higher loads, a whole system approach to network planning is required. In many cases the most cost-effective long-term means to deliver secure capacity to customers is to upgrade electrical networks. In addition to the high costs associated with this reinforcement, current solutions take significant amounts of time to deliver the required capacity which may delay the connection of rapid EV chargers, the transition from high carbon heating (oil/gas), and disenfranchise rural communities. We seek to develop a solution that allows rural communities adopt low carbon technologies before the grid infrastructure is upgraded.

  We will work with key stakeholders including DNOs, DSOs and most importantly: community energy groups to assess the financial and technical benefits a modular solution can offer communities. This will include offering quicker access to shared centralised heat and EV rapid charging hubs. The complexity of this approach is necessary to enable a single, configurable solution to address multiple barriers already encountered in cities such as limited off-street parking, or capacity for many homes to access low carbon heat. These and other obstacles to widespread adoption of LCTs are unlikely to be resolved in a similar way to more urban populations as the economics for private investment are very different, as well as the existing infrastructure restrictions.

  The initial scope of the project will clarify the true extent of the challenges and demonstrate how a rapidly deployable solution can ensure that rural communities will not be left behind and prevented from participating in achieving Net Zero. The main components of the modular solution will be rapid EV charging capability, community scale heat provision coupled with containerised independent 'power station' unit, incorporating a generator, energy store and a proprietary management system. Thereafter there will be a range of modular options that can be tailored community needs. The proposed solution is versatile and can be specified to a variety of community needs through the range of module options. These include:

  • Proprietary management system to manage demand and generation connections while maintaining community objectives
  • EV charging module (7 150kw) charging options
  •  Innovative shared heat solutions
  •  Supplementary energy storage
  •  Mains synchronisation I switchgear
  •  Flexible capacity fuel storage
• Key Output

  Discovery helps us understand the aspirations of rural communities looking to decarbonise.

  Product line 1 allows us to concentrate in Alpha on how to install and operate the hardware and control systems. This will comprise of output from:

  • WP2: Engineering aspects from shared heat
  •  WP5 & WP6: Engineering aspects from chargers and generation
  •  WP5: Connection opportunities

  Product line 2 allows us to help communities to select and attract finance to be able to commission Product line 1. This will comprise of output from:

  • WP1: Outreach
  • WP3: Carbon
  • WP4: Finance
  • WP5: Connection opportunities

  WP1: Community Group Outreach and Engagement

  •  Identify community groups and create an assessment process to find the most suitable to participate in trials.
  • Stakeholder engagement to understand objectives and what support communities need to develop a plan to decarbonise that outpaces network reinforcement.

  WP2: Shared Heat Solution Flexibility and Subject Matter Expertise

  • Identify providers of shared heat solutions to enable retrofit of rural properties. These will include providers of shared heat loops and shared heat pumps.
  •  Collaborate with shared heat solution providers to evaluate the electrical network flexibility and load balancing that is possible via a centrally controlled shared heat solution.

  WP3: Carbon Impact Scoping

  • This work package will define our approach to how the modular solution will be fully costed and fully carbon accounted to help communities attract investment and help us compare the offering to alternatives in the market.
  • Identify and engage a partner for carbon impact assessment for each operational scenario. EV Charging / Shared Heating / Constraint Management / Renewable Energy Storage. WP4: Funding Model Scoping Identify potential funding models and external funding sources to enable community investment model.

  WP5: Network Connection Opportunities Engage

  • NGED connections to consider novel connection agreements and explore the feasibility of accelerating rural connections through demand and supply side flexibility coordinated by the modular system.

  WP6: Develop Modular Energy Centre Specifications

  • Create method statements and scope of works for rapid deployment of rural energy, with functional requirements mapped to customer insights from WP1.
  •  Identify and engage partners where needed for operational trials - EV Charging / Shared Heat Solutions / Constraint Management / Renewable Energy Storage.

  WP7: Project Management and Development of Alpha & Beta Phases

  • Perform Project Management tasks.
  • Author a detailed project plan and outputs for Alpha and Beta. WP8: Network SME Project sponsorship and SME.
• Monthly updates

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