Strategies to utilise large-scale future renewable energy generation in Scotland (or other locations remote from major load centres)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Abstract
The study of large scale future renewable energy generation in Scotland.
Scotland currently has around 8-10GW electrical generation capacity, most of which is onshore wind, a quantity which considerably exceeds peak electrical demand in Scotland at present. Thus, at times of high generation, considerable electrical exports are needed to avoid large-scale curtailment. Significant additional generation plant - likely to include wind and potentially marine generation - can be expected if economic circumstances are favourable. These types of constraints also exist elsewhere within GB and overseas, and can be considered on different geographical scales.
This project seeks to make a techno-economic feasibility appraisal of different approaches to utilising future additional renewable (and other) electrical generation resources. Potential approaches to be considered include: reinforcements of electrical networks; deployment of storage and use of other energy vectors; and creation of flexible demands to utilise energy at times of high generation. This project seeks to also explore the potential of using renewable generation to provide ancillary services to networks, as well as to meet energy needs.
Scotland currently has around 8-10GW electrical generation capacity, most of which is onshore wind, a quantity which considerably exceeds peak electrical demand in Scotland at present. Thus, at times of high generation, considerable electrical exports are needed to avoid large-scale curtailment. Significant additional generation plant - likely to include wind and potentially marine generation - can be expected if economic circumstances are favourable. These types of constraints also exist elsewhere within GB and overseas, and can be considered on different geographical scales.
This project seeks to make a techno-economic feasibility appraisal of different approaches to utilising future additional renewable (and other) electrical generation resources. Potential approaches to be considered include: reinforcements of electrical networks; deployment of storage and use of other energy vectors; and creation of flexible demands to utilise energy at times of high generation. This project seeks to also explore the potential of using renewable generation to provide ancillary services to networks, as well as to meet energy needs.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Susan Brush (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/W524670/1 | 30/09/2022 | 29/09/2028 | |||
| 2092534 | Studentship | EP/W524670/1 | 30/09/2017 | 28/02/2024 | Susan Brush |
| Description | Co-author of UKERC's response to Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy inquiry on critical national infrastructure and climate adaptation |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/30507/documents/175976/default/ |
| Description | "Explorothon - stall about electricity system" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I attended an open evening, in which PhD students were invited to perform outreach on their work, as part of "European researchers' Night", in a local museum. I created a stall, which was attended by ~ 50 members of the public, most of them families with young children. I invited people's views about importance of our electrical power system, how they would feel about a power cut, and what activities they might stop doing / start doing if a power cut occurred. Children were encouraged to draw what they would do. I also gathered audience views about whether or not they might switch off an appliance at home to "help the grid" or to be more environmentally conscious - and if so, what they might switch off. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.explorathon.co.uk/glasgow/ |
| Description | 3-minute thesis presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I gave a presentation - allowed to be only 3 minutes long - summarising the research challenge and my aims, as part of a competition. The presentation was targeted at a non-specialist audience. It was held at Strathclyde University. Most of the audience were students from all departments; the judges were professionals external to the university. I practised the presentation on friends and neighbours with different professional interests. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation at a conference of electricity / power system professionals (Manchester). |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An audience of around 60 professionals and students attended the symposium, which consisted of a programme of talks. There was much discussion on the talks and surrounding issues during the day, with colleagues and visitors from industry . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://www.ieee-manchester.org.uk/meeps-2022/ |
| Description | Presentation during a 3-day symposium ("DSMS", Doctoral School Multi-Disciplinary Symposium, 2022), Strathclyde University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation was part of a post-graduate researcher (PGR) -organised multidisciplinary conference at Strathclyde University, June 2022, which reached several hundred PGRs. This presentation gave the audience an insight into the complexity and issues of creating suitable price signals to electricity generators and users. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |