A total of 25 projects, surmounting to 836MW, are set to connect under a new fast-track scheme developed by UK Power Networks’ (UKPN’s) Distribution System Operator (DSO).
The connection offers have been enabled under a new programme called Technical Limits, which leverages the insights and data developed through its Distributed Energy Resource Management (DERMS) platform to connect more generation to the network.
Customers who have had connection offers accepted include a 98MW solar farm in the East of England and a 100MW combined storage and solar site in the South East.
These are among 14 projects in the East of England, totalling 465MW, and 11 schemes in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, totalling 371MW.
Sotiris Georgiopoulos, director of DSO at UK Power Networks, said: “We are taking real, tangible action to help our customers overcome the long-term challenges on the national transmission system, an approach that will ultimately get more green energy into more people’s homes and businesses.
“This is just another step on our journey, and it is only by cooperation and collaboration that we’re able to make such important strides towards achieving net zero.”
Giles Frampton, director at Evolution Power Limited, added: “Working closely with UK Power Networks, we have been able to bring forward a solar PV project’s connection date by four years, which will significantly contribute to the UK’s progress towards net zero and energy security.”
The Technical Limits programme, however, is not limited to UKPN’s customers and has recently made waves with the news that National Grid Electricity Transmission and fellow UK Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) have enabled the grid connection offer dates of over 200 clean energy projects to be brought forward.
Networks have sent offers to 203 projects totalling 7.8GW of capacity, more than double the output of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, with an average connection acceleration of 6.5 years.
393 projects are eligible for the programme in total, and a further 190 can receive accelerated offers once they have progressed through the connection offer process.
This article first appeared on Solar Power Portal’s sister publication Current±.
Solar Power Portal’s publisher, Solar Media, will host the UK Solar Summit on 4-5 June 2024 in London. The event will explore the UK’s new landscape for utility and rooftop solar, looking at the opportunities within a GW+ annual market and much more.