Groundbreaking project which will test smart energy trading

SP Electricity North West has begun the trial phase of its innovative BITraDER project.

The project is designed to make it easier for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar to connect to the grid.

BiTraDER also creates new revenue opportunities for large-scale electricity users and generators across the region.

BiTraDER will be delivered in partnership with LCP Delta,  Electron, and AFRY , and it was funded from Ofgem’s Network Innovation Competition fund. 

The trial will last for three months and will:

• Help large-scale energy users manage their electricity demand and avoid temporary reductions, known as curtailments, during periods when the network is under pressure or congested.
• Help renewable generators get more renewable electricity onto the system. When the electricity network becomes congested, some power generators, such as wind turbines and solar farms, may be asked to temporarily reduce their output to keep the system safe and reliable. This has often meant that renewable sources are the first to be curtailed when they could be producing clean energy. With the BiTraDER platform, renewable generators can now trade their position in the curtailment queue, helping them to protect more of their output.

Participants in the trial will gain access to the BiTraDER platform and take part in a realistic trading scenario where they will submit bids and offers with live dispatch activity.

The trial will provide valuable insights to inform the final design of the marketplace, including:

• The bid and offer pricing for different scenarios
• Barriers to participation
• Potential improvements in trading rules and scheme design

Laurence Robinson, Senior Consultant at LCP Delta and Customer Lead of the BiTraDER trial, added: “It’s great to be involved in a project that could reduce the challenges for low carbon generation connecting to our electricity system. This trial provides an opportunity to hear directly from businesses and ensure the marketplace and platform meet their needs.”

Chris Greenfield, BiTraDER project manager at SP Electricity North West, said: “BiTraDER is the latest innovative project we have developed, and we’re pleased Ofgem recognised this with more than £8m worth of funding back in 2022.

“The project is potentially groundbreaking, where it will create a marketplace where businesses can buy and sell spare capacity on the network. We’re all really excited to see the outcomes of the trial.”