Difference between revisions of "Electricity Networks Strategy Group"

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The ENSG lists the following as smart grid group members:
 
The ENSG lists the following as smart grid group members:
  
AEA
+
AEA,
Association of Electricity Producers
+
Association of Electricity Producers,
CE Electric UK
+
CE Electric UK,
Centrica Energy
+
Centrica Energy,
DECC
+
DECC,
EDF Energy Networks
+
EDF Energy Networks,
Electricity North West Limited
+
Electricity North West Limited,
Energy Networks Association
+
Energy Networks Association,
Energy Research Partnership
+
Energy Research Partnership,
Energy Retail Association
+
Energy Retail Association,
E.ON Central Networks
+
E.ON Central Networks,
Energy Technologies Institute
+
Energy Technologies Institute,
Intellect
+
Intellect,
National Grid
+
National Grid,
Ofgem
+
Ofgem,
Renewable Energy Association
+
Renewable Energy Association,
RLtec
+
RLtec,
RWE Npower
+
RWE Npower,
Scottish & Southern Energy
+
Scottish & Southern Energy,
Scottish Executive
+
Scottish Executive,
Scottish Power
+
Scottish Power,
The Centre for Sustainable Electricity and Distributed Generation
+
The Centre for Sustainable Electricity and Distributed Generation,
Smarter Grid Solutions
+
Smarter Grid Solutions,
The Carbon Trust
+
The Carbon Trust,
Western Power Distribution
+
Western Power Distribution,
  
 
It is argued that the capacity of the energy grid needs to be increased and that 1,000km of new cables are needed.
 
It is argued that the capacity of the energy grid needs to be increased and that 1,000km of new cables are needed.

Revision as of 20:56, 24 March 2010

The Electricity Networks Strategy Group (ENSG) says it provides

a high level forum which brings together key stakeholders in electricity networks that work together to support government in meeting the long-term energy challenges of tackling climate change and ensuring secure, clean and affordable energy.[1]

ENSG is chaired by Ofgem (which regulates the electricity and gas markets in the UK) and the UK government's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). It is made up of energy companies and government departments relating to energy networks. The stated aim is to 'support government in meeting the long-term energy challenges of tackling climate change and ensuring secure, clean and affordable energy.'[2]

It was formed in 2003,[3] and reformed in 2008.[4]

History

The group was formed by the DTI (now BERR)and Ofgem. This is a description of the setting up of the ENSG, taken from its first Annual Report in 2005:

"The ENSG is a third generation industry group. In 2000, in response to concerns that there were barriers to the development of generation connected to distribution systems, the DTI and Ofgem established the Embedded Generation Working Group (EGWG). The EGWG brought together the main distributed generation (DG) stakeholders. It reported in January 2001. One of its main recommendations was that Ofgem and the DTI should establish a group to address the barriers to DG that it had identified. This led to the formation of the Distributed Generation Co-ordinating Group (DGCG), in November 2001...

The DGCG’s work progressed against a background of new challenges for networks. Growth of renewable generation in Scotland and the prospect of large renewable generation plants (in particular offshore windfarms) posed new challenges for transmission operators. Initially a Transmission Issues Working Group (TIWG) made a start on this work. However, in the second half of 2004 the DTI decided that the work of these two groups should be brought together under a higher level group to which both would report... The ENSG’s establishment was the result...The case for establishing the ENSG is that both the transmission and distribution networks are fundamental enablers for the development of the low-carbon generation base sought by the Government." [5]

Current activities

Views

There have been two high profile reports:

  • A Smart Grid Routemap[6]

Here is ENSG's definition of a smart grid:

A Smart Grid as part of an electricity power system can intelligently integrate the actions of all users connected to it - generators, consumers and those that do both - in order to efficiently deliver sustainable, economic and secure electricity supplies. [7]

The ENSG lists the following as smart grid group members:

AEA, Association of Electricity Producers, CE Electric UK, Centrica Energy, DECC, EDF Energy Networks, Electricity North West Limited, Energy Networks Association, Energy Research Partnership, Energy Retail Association, E.ON Central Networks, Energy Technologies Institute, Intellect, National Grid, Ofgem, Renewable Energy Association, RLtec, RWE Npower, Scottish & Southern Energy, Scottish Executive, Scottish Power, The Centre for Sustainable Electricity and Distributed Generation, Smarter Grid Solutions, The Carbon Trust, Western Power Distribution,

It is argued that the capacity of the energy grid needs to be increased and that 1,000km of new cables are needed.

Although the report has been welcomed by many in the energy industry, there has also been some concern voiced that the new capacity is not needed:

"Goran Strbac of Imperial College London, said: 'We still need to see whether all of (ENSG's proposals) are actually required.' Professor Strbac is director of the government-funded Centre for Sustainable Electricity and Distributed Generation. 'Our work suggests that the existing system could potentially take much more than what the present thinking is,' he said." [8]


  • A Vision for 2020[9]

Affiliations

People

2006 Members

In 2006 the members of the old ENSG were:

2008 Members

In 2008 the reconstituted members of the ENSG were:

  • Steve Smith former Joint Chair OfgemManaging Director of Networks (at the time he was Joint Chair of ENSG)

Funding

Clients

Publications, Contact, Resources and Notes

Publications

Contact

Address:
Phone:
Email:
Website:

Resources

Notes

  1. The ENSG Home Page, ENSG website, accessed 25 October 2009
  2. ENSG, "ENSG homepage", ENSG homepage. Accessed 26/03/09
  3. The ENSG Home Page, ENSG website, accessed 15 Feb 2010
  4. Reconstituted Electricity Networks Strategy Group, ENSG website, accessed 15 Feb 2010
  5. , "Annual Report 2005", Electricity Networks Strategy Group, accessed 18 March 2010
  6. "A Smart Grid Routemap Electricity Networks Strategy Group (ENSG)", ENSG website, accessed 18 March 2010
  7. "A Smart Grid Vision page 5 Electricity Networks Strategy Group (ENSG)", ENSG website, accessed 24 March 2010
  8. "[ ENDS Report http://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/nexis/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8859952750&format=GNBFI&sort=BOOLEAN&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8859952753&cisb=22_T8859952752&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&selRCNodeID=2&nodeStateId=411en_GB,1&docsInCategory=4&csi=235906&docNo=2 Questions asked over future grid needs, PARLIAMENT & POLITICS; Pg. 40]", Nexis UK published May 29, 2009, accessed 18 March 2010
  9. "A Vision for 2020 Electricity Networks Strategy Group (ENSG)", ENSG website, accessed 18 March 2010
  10. ENSG website, archive ENSG Annual Report 2006 Accessed 25/02/10
  11. Electricity Networks Strategy Group website Reconstituted Electricity Networks Strategy Group, Membership Accessed 25/02/10