UK electricity, water distributors collaborate on flexibility options
Western Power Distribution and South West Water have launched project FLOWERS to investigate flexibility benefits across the two businesses.
The FLOWERS (Flexible Operation of Water Networks Enabling Response Services) feasibility study, which began in February, is looking at ways to balance South West Water’s demand for electricity with the needs of the local electricity network.
The study could see South West Water modifying the triggers and timing of its waste water and drinking water pumping processes to respond to the needs of the electricity network. For example, this could involve rescheduling these processes so that they are carried out at times of lower demand to help ease constraints at peak times.
Water networks are one of the largest demands for electrical power supplied on distribution networks, estimated at 1TWh across Western Power Distribution’s four licence areas, with South West Water contributing 300GWh of this demand.
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“What is particularly exciting about this project is that it is the first of its kind in terms of us working with a water utility and a first step towards the collaborative delivery of innovation projects going forwards,” says Nick Devine, Western Power Distribution Innovation Engineer.
“We intend this project to be the first in a series where water and electricity distribution networks come together to deliver decarbonisation and net zero for customers by identifying new energy efficiencies. It will get the ball rolling for [our] plan to work even more closely with other industries to meet the whole system challenges ahead.”
For South West Water the project forms part of its plans to reach net zero operational carbon emissions by 2030, including switching to a 100% electric car and van fleet by that date.
Along with targeting carbon emissions, the project should reduce the company’s operational costs and improve resilience in its network.
Angus Berry, Head of Energy at South West Water, adds: “This pioneering partnership is great example of how through collaborative working, we can identify innovative solutions for reducing our energy consumption and reaching net zero.”
Project FLOWERS is conservatively estimated to deliver up to 0.25% of water network demand as flexibility. This amounts to 750MWh of capacity extracted from South West Water’s network yearly. Replicated across the breadth of Western Power Distribution’s four licence areas, this could unlock upwards of 2.5GWh of flexibility capacity on water networks. These capacities could, respectively, deliver £2.5 million and £8.5 million of value to customers.
