The Orkney Smart Grid technology manages multiple renewable generators against multiple grid bottlenecks. The smart grid solution has allowed SSE to add an additional 15 MW of renewable energy to the grid; the first 3.4 MW was connected and began generating at the end of November.

Colin Hood, Chief Operating Officer at SSE, says: “The connection of similar levels of renewable generation on Orkney by the conventional means of network reinforcement would have cost around £30 million. The total cost of developing and delivering this innovative solution has been substantially less than this and taken far less time.”

SGS is currently working with several network operators in the UK, exploring opportunities for connecting increased levels of renewable generation to the existing grid using smart grid technologies.

SGS spun-out from the University of Strathclyde’s Institute for Energy and Environment in 2008 to commercialise the technology developed for application on Orkney and deploy it in other constrained grid locations in the UK.