SSE plc will be able to connect up to 30 commercial and industrial buildings in the Thames Valley area west of London with the launch of a smart grid project from Honeywell (News - Alert). When there is an increase in overall electricity usage, SSE will be able to reduce consumption temporarily. As the demand for energy grows, Honeywell’s smart grid project will help decrease future transmission and distribution bottlenecks.

In a release, Stewart Reid, NTVV Project Director at SSEPD, said, "NTVV has the potential to revolutionize our existing networks, and help us to manage resources and equipment more effectively as the U.K. heads toward a low-carbon economy. We'll need to collaborate with our customers to achieve these goals and see Auto DR as a one of the key tools to make that a reality."

U.K. energy regulator Ofgem had recently rewarded a New Thames Valley Vision project worth $39.06 million to Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution. As part of this project, automated demand response technology will be installed by Honeywell in selected facilities. Peak electricity use will be trimmed by the utility in collaboration with these customers. The strain on the local networks and substations, which are nearing capacity, will therefore be reduced.

A successful Auto DR has been already demonstrated by Honeywell in Bracknell, England. The pilot demonstrated that up to 45 percent of electrical load could be quickly shed by a commercial building during peak hours. SSE has therefore decided to expand the use of the technology. According to Honeywell, the utility will be able to shave approximately 10 megawatts of energy use when necessary with the full-scale project.

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