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Mark Barrett and Catalina Spataru of the UCL Energy Institute are working with the Energy Saving Trust to develop a half hourly model, with the physical model core based on DEAM. National Grid will use the model to help them to assess the implications for their system of, among other things, heat electrification, electric vehicles, solar PV and wind as they operate at different times and in different weather conditions. National Grid is particularly concerned about absorbing rapid variations in renewable generation and meeting peak demands. 

In early November, Mark and Catalina visited National Grid to compare the model results with actual historic flows to assess data and model accuracy and for a tour.

There is a room where one of the world’s largest electrical systems is controlled minute by minute, where operators take a range of forecasts over different future time periods and issue communications to generators to prepare to output and thereby ensure there is enough supply, taking account of many factors  such as transmission link loading.

Mark said: 'When we were there both wind and nuclear outputs were around 4-6000 MW so we’re on our way to a high renewable system'.