TNEI Services Ltd and Baringa Partners LLP were commissioned to produce a Good Practice Guide for Active Network Management (ANM). The guide sets out current good practice for the commercial arrangements and technical deployment of ANM technologies, and is intended to be of use to a number of electricity system stakeholders, including the network operators themselves, customers, product manufacturers, regulators and policy makers. The guide also looks to the future, identifying challenges and opportunities for ANM to become more widespread and the implications for future network systems operations.
Active network management is a technique employed by Distribution Network Operators (DNO) to facilitate the connection of renewable generation to distribution networks. This is achieved by utilising available “‘spare’ capacity on traditionally passive networks in intact conditions and managing constraints in real-time to defer or avoid reinforcement or replacement of existing assets. It is also being considered for management of demand customers in the future.
To date, each of the GB DNOs has deployed ANM on their networks as a means of providing an alternative option for connecting distributed generation. This has largely been done through innovation projects however DNOs are now beginning to integrate ANM into Business as Usual practices. The Energy Networks Association (ENA) ANM Working Group, comprising representatives from each of the GB DNOs and National Grid (the GB transmission system operator (TSO)), commissioned the production of the Good Practice Guide to capture and consolidate learning thus far from ANM deployment activities in GB.
TNEI’s Stephanie Hay and Charlotte Higgins provided the technical content for the guide. A key element was stakeholder engagement with each of the DNOs and National Grid which took place in the early stages of the project to gather information on technical considerations for the deployment of ANM. This included system architecture, functional specifications, data and communications, interfacing and network safety.
The guide was presented at a public stakeholder event in Birmingham on the 15th July 2015 at the IET Building in Austin Court. The event was well attended and the audience included DNOs, the TSO, developers, ANM vendors, academics and government representatives (DECC) where the guide was well received and there was lively discussion and debate around the guide and the future of ANM.
Good Practice Guide: http://www.energynetworks.org/modx/assetshttps://tneigroup-com.stackstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/news/publications/1500205_ENA_ANM_report_AW_online.pdf
Stakeholder Event: http://uksmartgrid.org/active-network-management-good-practice-guide/
Article in Utility Week: http://utilityweek.co.uk/news/ena-steers-dnos-towards-active-network-management/1152242#.VboxWPlViko
