4th July 2019 (London) – Piclo’s pioneering smart energy platform has been used at a commercial scale for the first time in UK Power Networks’ recent flexibility auction. Contracts have now been signed with AMP Clean Energy, Limejump, Powervault and Moixa to deliver 18.1MW of flexibility.
First announced on the 15th May, UK Power Networks held the first auction for flexible power, contracting 18.2MW within their distribution network. This auction was the first commercial use of Piclo’s smart energy platform, representing a significant milestone for both Piclo and UK Power Networks. The contracts are collectively worth £450,000 but have helped defer network reinforcement costs.
Piclo’s platform provides a heat-map of areas of network congestion and correlates them with flexibility providers including demand-side-response, batteries and behind-the-meter generation which can be leveraged to minimise bottlenecks within the network. Following on from this successful first auction, Piclo has secured an ongoing commercial agreement with UK Power Networks to support them deliver their future auctions. This is Piclo’s second commercial agreement following the signing of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks announced in March this year.
Smart energy systems such as Piclo create the ability to locally control the production, consumption and storage of power, enabling further integration of renewables and electric vehicles into the grid in a cost-effective way. Furthermore, the platform provides unprecedented transparency over the flexible plant available in network operator’s jurisdictions. Without Piclo’s solution, DNOs would be forced into expensive and disruptive network reinforcement with implications for the consumers who pay for it and the local communities affected. Whilst some physical changes to the network will be required as we decarbonise, Piclo’s platform significantly reduces this need, minimising the cost to the consumer whilst maximising the flexible, low-carbon plant in the mix.
As Piclo continues to rapidly grow they are actively seeking more flexibility partners across the UK, expressions of interest from potential international clients and software developers to help support this exciting period for the business.
James Johnston, CEO and Co-Founder of Piclo commented:
“We’re thrilled with the results of our first commercial auction, years of trials and ongoing development have been realised with over 18MW of flexibility now under contract.
As renewables have boomed across the UK and internationally, grid congestion and the network flexibility required to affordably alleviate it have become top priorities for network companies.
This first full, commercial auction will be the first of many as distribution companies across the UK and even internationally take UK Power Network’s lead in enabling the shift to a smart, flexible, low-carbon power system.”
Sotiris Georgioupoulos, Head of Smart Grid Development at UK Power Networks said:
“Flexibility offers a wealth of opportunities for the energy resources connected to our network like wind and solar plants, but also demand side response to help us create an open, transparent and accountable new market for their services.
“All of the bids we accepted in this tender round met our robust economic criteria to ensure they will benefit our customers by offering lower costs in comparison to the traditional approach of building new assets. The UK is a world-leader in Smart Grid technology and Flexibility has a key role to play as we move towards a decarbonised, decentralised and digitised network that will offer significant benefits to our customers.”
Notes to Editors
About Limejump
Limejump is an award-winning energy tech company, connecting trading and data abilities with customers who generate and manage energy assets through to the National Grid to optimise value. Limejump, based in London, manages the largest portfolio of batteries in the United Kingdom in its Virtual Power Platform.
Embracing sustainable energy generation such as hydro, solar, wind and AD, Limejump is replacing carbon-emitting legacy energy generation through precise connectivity and asset control in its VPP, thereby creating revenue opportunities for renewable energy developers and investors. This encourages further investment in renewables, increases the volume of renewables in the wholesale market and leads the UK closer to the ultimate aim of removing carbon emissions from the environment.
In addition, Limejump provides its customers with market insight and daily market analysis, granular billing, performance data and customer support. Limejump is a member of the Shell group.
About Powervault
Powervault is a British technology company, which designs and manufactures smart energy storage systems for the modern home. The new Powervault 3 system stores free solar energy and cheap electricity from the grid to reduce household energy bills and increase energy efficiency. The new system is also capable of frequency regulation, which enables owners to generate an income for supporting the grid when there is constraint. Powervault’s mission is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by designing products which accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, decentralised energy system.
About AMP
Urban Reserve from AMP Clean Energy is developing flexible generation plants which help support the transition to a low carbon economy by providing on-demand electricity when and where it is most needed. As well as being renewables enabling; delivering energy when wind and solar cannot provide electricity, these plants defer network reinforcement costs and promote the growth of new technologies such as electric vehicles and heat pumps. Urban Reserve supports the evolving energy model which combines renewables with flexibility to create the new baseload.
