An Energy Revolution for the market town of Caldicot

"PROJECT AIMS

Model commercial feasibility of a low-carbon, multi-vector energy system in Caldicot that includes:

1. A retrofitted district heating network, directing heat from water extraction generated by Network Rail at Severn Tunnel (Sudbrook) to homes/businesses via a centralised water sourced heat pump (existing gas network left in-situ as back up).[\[ER1\]][0]
2. Tying in renewable electrical generation from the local Council owned5MW solar farm with additional photovoltaic (PV) capability, utilising batteries and storage walls during excess generation.
3. Creation of a self-balancing virtual private network (VPN) that tests a new regulatory market structure (with consideration given to benefits, avoided costs, value-flow[\[JF2\]][1] ), supporting new billing methodologies and other local benefits.
4. Removing single-phase electric cabling and installing 3-phase electric power supply cables to new and existing buildings, supporting electric vehicle (EV) charging, and reducing network transmission losses.
5. Use of Vehicle to Grid (V2G) units to enable EV batteries to be used to balance the LV system and optimise the local use of PV generation and maximise value
6. Modelling the impact of interventions and develop detailed plan for a demonstrator project.

Modelling this integrated network across demand profiles generates knowledge regarding:

* Electrical, heat and cooling demands
* Storage and backup systems e.g. Flow rates/hydraulics and battery storage
* Space footprint needed for heat recovery and electrical storage systems
* Integration of low-grade heat supply with existing gas infrastructure to obtain required operating temperature
* Impacts on Pumping Station operations (e.g. peak discharging)
* Associated energy cost and carbon savings
* Regulatory/governance and contractual insight across the electricity, gas, storage, water, heat (markets and pricing), rail and insurance sectors
* Industrial Heat Recovery associated with the rail industry (Sudbrook).

KEY OBJECTIVES

1. Test to commercial viability of above for new-build and retrofit homes/businesses
2. Determine social (bill reduction) and environmental benefits (CO2 reduction) from above interventions

DETAILS OF HOW IT IS INNOVATIVE

* Testing the degree to which disparate systems can be integrated and achieve efficiencies by working together in a managed multi vector large-scale combination.
* Modelling the demand profile (by discharging from a range of generators at peak times and charging at high generation/low demand times) to determine reliability and tolerances/constraints, to achieve secure supply, within a Virtual Private Network.
* Creation of innovative controls for 3-phase cables to achieve fully balanced phases, reducing or removing circulating currents in the Neutral.

OUTPUTS

Plan for demonstrator project to create a case studies/best practice for the wider UK.

[0]: file:///C:/Users/Emma%20Richardson/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/22PZ82ZU/V5%2024-07-2018%20CALDICOT%20BID.docx#_msocom_1
[1]: file:///C:/Users/Emma%20Richardson/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/22PZ82ZU/V5%2024-07-2018%20CALDICOT%20BID.docx#_msocom_2"