Too much sun for Grid

Neso has said it will need to intervene more frequently to stabilise the network stable when there are surges in solar generation.

Options could include ‘free’ electricity at peak generation times and even 'paying' to use excess.

Neso has said that: “Despite the geopolitical backdrop, we remain confident in the security and resilience of electricity supply this summer.”

Its summer “toolkit” will include exporting electricity to neighbouring European countries via interconnector cables, storing energy in batteries or hydro-electric systems, and working with generators to adjust their output where needed.

Over particularly over sunny, windy weekends and bank holidays, when demand is especially low. At those times, NESO could reward consumers and businesses who increase their electricity use via its updated Demand Flexibility Service.

Christophe Williams, CEO at Naked Energy, commented: “While concerns mount about solar overwhelming the grid we must consider the bigger picture. Encouraging more people to use electricity at off-peak times won't change the fact that the grid alone cannot carry the weight of net-zero. The National Grid currently projects that upgrades to the grid infrastructure will cost £35bn over the next five years. With connection queues stretching years and critical equipment like transformers in short supply, it’s clear that encouraging off-peak usage won't solve this issue in the long-term.”

Williams advocates a more decentralised approach, with localisable generation and storage for a hybrid solution.



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