UK energy regulator Ofgem has given the go-ahead for a novel transmission network management scheme to be introduced on the Orkney Islands, located off Scotland, in a measure designed to improve transmission capacity for renewable generators.
The scheme, devised by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) allows new generators to control output to match the available capacity of the network in real time. The alternative would be to upgrade Orkney’s electricity network and mainland connections, potentially costing millions of dollars in investment.