1571/ITT/SC Community Energy System

Tender description

The works form part of an ongoing innovative research project with funding from Active Building Centre Ltd. and build on works carried out during Project SCENe, which was funded by EPSRC and ERA. Communal energy assets already exist at the demonstrator site, including an Energy Centre with a connected 2.1 MWh / 500 kW Battery system and a 67 kWp solar PV system. These assets are managed via an Energy Service Company (ESCO) which will also be closely involved in the proposed project. The procured systems will be installed in and around new built properties in the Trent Basin housing development and used to investigate novel methods of delivering community energy schemes from a technical and business model perspective. The procurement process will form part of the research's findings and recommendations. The project has recruited over 30 participants so far and has provided them with in-home monitoring energy and environmental monitoring equipment. Feasibility assessments have been carried out in all properties and agreements in principle to install further equipment have been obtained. Participating properties have been provisionally categorised into four groups: A. Solar PV Installation for Home Self-Consumption: Where customers are either on a flat-rate or a half-hourly (HH) tariff from a standard energy supplier (e.g. Octopus), and in addition will be billed by the Energy Service Company (ESCO) for the PV energy they consume. The ESCO will be paid by the chosen supplier for any exported energy. B. Solar PV Installation for Home Self-Consumption with In-Home Battery: Where customers are on a HH tariff from a standard energy supplier (e.g. Octopus) and in addition will be billed by the ESCO for the PV energy they consume and the Battery energy they store and consume. The ESCO will be paid by the chosen supplier for any exported energy. C. Private-Wire Supply Supplemented by Community Energy Assets: Where customers are on a HH tariff from the ESCO and will be billed for the Community PV energy, Community Battery energy and Community Grid energy they consume. D. Enhanced Energy and Environmental Monitoring (Control Group): Where customers are on an energy tariff and with an energy supplier of their choice. The University and its partners have worked with the Trent Basin community since its inception, and have technical drawings and other resources, which can be shared. As preparation for this installation programme, we have also conducted preliminary surveys, of which we can share photos and findings . Contact details of property owners / occupants will be provided to the tender awardee. The participants in this research project have the right to withdraw at any point in time. Hence, the stated numbers of systems to be installed are estimates and based on prior intentions. If participants, which were selected for groups A, B or C, withdraw, we will seek to offer their systems to gro...