Localised Energy Systems - Community Energy Generation, Aggregation and Demand Shaping (LES-CEGADS)
Lead Research Organisation:
De Montfort University
Department Name: Institute of Energy and Sustainable Dev
Abstract
The team will perform two tasks:
1. Analyse real-life electrical load data collected by this Institute to provide representative models of demand that can guide
design, testing and implementation of the demand side management system (known as Demand Shaper) to be deployed in
a field trial under this project. This will be performed near the start of the project to inform the design process.
2. Perform an agent based simulation of the Demand Shaper technology when deployed on a commercial scale, using data
obtained from the trial project. From this simulation a report will be produced assessing the likely effectiveness at scale
and any risks and issues that further investigation. This will be performed towards the end of the project to support the
overall conclusions drawn.
1. Analyse real-life electrical load data collected by this Institute to provide representative models of demand that can guide
design, testing and implementation of the demand side management system (known as Demand Shaper) to be deployed in
a field trial under this project. This will be performed near the start of the project to inform the design process.
2. Perform an agent based simulation of the Demand Shaper technology when deployed on a commercial scale, using data
obtained from the trial project. From this simulation a report will be produced assessing the likely effectiveness at scale
and any risks and issues that further investigation. This will be performed towards the end of the project to support the
overall conclusions drawn.
Planned Impact
The two academic work packages proposed here are essential to the overall programme for this project. If the project is
funded and executed successfully, it will provide a flagship demonstration of the potential for community energy as
envisaged the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Community Energy Strategy. The Demand Shaper technology
that will be demonstrated also has potential for national impact as recognised by its success in the Nesta Dynamic Demand
competition.
funded and executed successfully, it will provide a flagship demonstration of the potential for community energy as
envisaged the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Community Energy Strategy. The Demand Shaper technology
that will be demonstrated also has potential for national impact as recognised by its success in the Nesta Dynamic Demand
competition.
Organisations
- De Montfort University (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Moixa Technology (Collaboration)
- Energy Local (Collaboration)
- Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (Collaboration)
- Vaillant Group (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE (Collaboration)
- The Co-operative Group Ltd (Collaboration)
Publications
Boait P
(2019)
The Practice and Potential of Renewable Energy Localisation: Results from a UK Field Trial
in Sustainability
Boait P
(2017)
Making legacy thermal storage heating fit for the smart grid
in Energy and Buildings
| Description | Domestic energy users who have high demand and are relatively poor (in this case residents involved in a trial of demand shifting who use electric storage heaters) are often very good at demand shifting in order to minimise their energy cost and may even 'beat the system', however most of them will benefit from an automated (i.e. smart) device that will shift demand in response to grid conditions on their behalf. The added complexity of a smart home energy management system is more than compensated by the added benefits it delivers providing that users are able to override the system when they wish. |
| Exploitation Route | Design of smart meters and HEMS devices. Design of smart domestic energy consuming devices such as heat pumps, storage heaters, immersion heaters and EV chargers. Design of community energy schemes |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Electronics,Energy |
| URL | http://www.energylocal.co.uk/the-technology/ |
| Description | Please see the impact description provided for EP/M507209/1 Dr Snape has used the knowledge gained from the project has been used in a consultancy project on demand side response for BEIS. He will shortly leave De Montfort University to take up a position as a 'Modelling & Simulation Engineer' at the Energy Systems Catapult where he will deploy knowledge he gained during this project and the BEIS work. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Description | Consumer benefits of community energy cited in 2020 Energy White Paper |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-white-paper-powering-our-net-zero-future |
| Description | Domestic demand side management phase 2 (BEIS) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | The Energy Local model |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in systematic reviews |
| Impact | This is a change of practice in domestic electricity supply. It is the first fully commercial implementation of domestic half hourly metering and settlement, based on a localisation concept and business model demonstrated under the LES-CEGADS project. Note the questions and fields in this page seem biased towards medical research and do not allow this kind of impact to be properly expressed. |
| URL | http://www.energylocal.co.uk |
| Description | BEIS Demand Side Response project |
| Organisation | Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Dr Snape is offering consultancy and input into the modelling of DSR schemes for a project funded by BEIS. The project is being carried out by a consortium led by Energy Local who also lead the LES-CEGADS project. Other partners are e-POWER (NFPAS Ltd), The Megni Parnership, Cooperative Energy (now replaced by Octopus Energy) and Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Other partners are contributing project management, public engagement, technical device development, and knowledge of the energy business and its development. |
| Impact | Reports submitted to BEIS |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Co-Op Energy |
| Organisation | The Co-operative Group Ltd |
| Department | Co-operative Energy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Co-Operative Energy are the retail electricity supply partner to the LES-CEGADS project. We provided the simulation results that showed the localisation model trialled in this project would work, and provided algorithms and smart home heating control concepts. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They provided a time-of-day dependent electricity tariff, and Co-Op shopping vouchers incentivising people to take part in the project. Without their role the project could not have taken place. |
| Impact | The LES-CEGADS trial gave Co-Op Energy confidence that the business model would work. With the other partners they are now rolling it out on a commercial basis. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Energy Local |
| Organisation | Energy Local |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Energy Local is a not-for-profit SME that was the lead partner for the LES-CEGADS bid and subsequent project. We provided simulations showing the localised energy system proposed would work, and algorithms and smart home heating control concepts that were implemented under the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Energy Local performed the overall project management of LES-CEGADS and found the pathway to regulatory compliance for the overall concept. |
| Impact | The localisation concept and business model developed under LES-CEGADS is being promoted by Energy Local with partners on a fully commercial basis. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Description | Environmental Change Institute - Oxford University |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Environmental Change Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Joint writing of REPENT and STREETFLEX proposals (EPSRC and UKERC) and publications |
| Collaborator Contribution | Writing sections of proposals and contributing to research publications |
| Impact | REPENT proposals (EPSRC) and STREETFLEX EoI (UKERC). Papers |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Institute for Energy and Environment at University of Strathclyde |
| Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
| Department | Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Joint authorship of proposals |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint authorship of proposals |
| Impact | NASCENT proposal (EPSRC, 2017) |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Moixa Technology Ltd |
| Organisation | Moixa Technology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | During the project, we brought expertise in smart heating system control using the Hestia product from Exergy Devices Ltd (owned by P Boait) and experience in displaying home energy data for demand management purposes. Following the project, our contribution is demonstration of Maslow to students, researchers and visitors to the De Montfort Energy Laboratory. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supply, installation and removal of Maslow units during the project. Supply of a unit for teaching and research purposes at De Montfort University. Free technical support and updates as technology is developed. |
| Impact | Installation of a Moixa Maslow domestic battery in the Energy Laboratory at De Montfort University, which is used to teach students about domestic demand management and smart energy systems. Battery is also used on Open Days to demonstrate smart energy in the home. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Vaillant in Belper Derbyshire |
| Organisation | Vaillant Group |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have prepared several proposals for research projects in which to develop the smart home controller used in LES-CEGADS to drive a heat pump supplied by Vaillant UK, based in Belper, Derbyshire. We also report on the performance of a prototype Vaillant heat pump that is installed in our test house and is being used in an innovative solar assisted heat pump demonstrator project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Vaillant has donated a heat pump worth £13,000 to the university for use in our energy laboratory. |
| Impact | 'SEMLESH' proposal for multi-level energy storage to support heat pumps (EPSRC, 2017). 'Superstore' proposal for investigation into use of energy storage to support heat pump operation (SuperGen, 2018). Joint promotion of research and Vaillant products on Vaillant stand at 'UK Construction Week' at the NEC in 2016. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Title | CEGADS domestic electricity consumption model |
| Description | It is a simulation tool for domestic electricity demand. It is intended eventually to cover the full range of domestic appliances but in this release covers wet appliances. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | Initially employed in support of the CEGAD/SWELL project - see http://www.energylocal.co.uk/ |
| URL | https://github.com/IESD/cegads-domestic-model |
| Title | Model of community club including business model and configurable household membership |
| Description | The software is built using the CASCADE agent based modelling framework and provides a configurable way to model community energy clubs operating the CEGADS business model. the model was used primarily to take results from the CEGADS trial and explore how they might generalise to other communities with different participation rates, demographics and renewable generation ownership. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | Model outputs have been demonstrated to notable industry players including National Grid, Western Power Distribution and others including leading academics in the field at the Thames Valley Vision conference in Reading in March 2017. They were received favourably and generated interest in the business model, technology and algorithms brought together, implemented and trialled in the CEGADS project. |
| Title | Smart control of domestic heating |
| Description | Three patents, GB2518365, GB2534553 and GB2514128 that all relate to 'smart' control of domestic heating and energy stores such as water tanks and storage heaters in the context of local renewable energy sources. GB2518365 was purchased in 2019 by Centrica plc to strengthen their IP behind the Hive smart heating product (www.hivehome.com). GB2534553 and GB2514128 were purchased in 2019 by Boxergy Ltd (www.boxergy.com) to underpin their marketing of innovative domestic heating systems combining heat pumps with smart energy storage using phase change materials. |
| Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | Uptake of innovation by Centrica and Boxergy that will be used to strengthen their commercial positions and reduce heating related emissions. |
| Description | Discussions with Robert Lllewellyn about Community Energy in Temple Guiting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Robert Llewellyn is a well known media figure who is very interested in community energy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08rnzrb). He wishes to apply the Energy Local model in his community and create a follow-on television programme. This engagement opened a discussion to progress this objective. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/robert-llewellyn-brought-green-revolution-cotswold-villag... |
| Description | Presentation at Energy Systems Catapult workshop - Delivering a Flexible Future through Innovation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The workshop was a one-day event on 28 September 2016 that was jointly delivered by Innovate UK, BEIS, Energy Systems Catapult and KTN. The purpose of the workshop was to allow the companies and researchers working on energy system flexibility challenges and opportunities to present their work, network with each other and an external audience, as well as discuss smart systems with BEIS and Ofgem through a workshop actvitiy Representatives of projects were allowed to pitch their existing projects and ideas for future funding, using just three minutes each. funded under the EPSRC Localised Energy Systems |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Presentation at New Thames Valley Vision 4th LV workshop 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Representatives of major industry players such as National Grid, Scottish and Southern Energy, Western Power Distribution and academic institutions, including attendees from oversees, attended the New Thames Valley Vision workshop. The presentation sparked lots of questioning and potential partnerships with industry as it was seen as an innovative project bringing together research and implementation into one of the first practical demonstrations of a community energy scheme with a viable business model and potential for development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/tsbe/2017/02/03/energy-seminar-series-tsbe-centre-new-thames-valley-visi... |
| Description | Talk to the Leicester Business Festival entitled Preparing Leicester Businesses for the Smart Energy Revolution |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I was the sector lead for the 'Low Carbon Sector' of the LBF in 2017 and organised a day at the Leicester Castle Business School entitled 'Preparing Leicester Businesses for the Smart Energy Revolution'. Several speakers from organisations including the National Grid, Schneider, Cenex and Leicester City Council attended to present and hear other speakers. I spoke on some of our related research projects, including LES-CEGADS |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.leicesterbusinessfestival.com/ |