The team behind a pioneering digital tool helping clean projects connect faster, has won Outstanding Project – Non-Infrastructure at UK Power Networks’ annual company awards.
The Connections Lab gives customers free, self-service access to trusted network modelling and data. It helps developers test where and how renewable generation, battery storage and other low-carbon projects could best connect, before paying for a formal study.
The tool has already helped developers understand whether different connection is right for them which has supported over 200 companies to run almost 4,000 studies, representing almost 200GW of new connection capacity. To date, we have 60 projects connected under DERMs (Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems) of green energy connected.
The project was recognised for showing how open, trusted data can make the connections process faster, fairer and easier to navigate, particularly as customers respond to Connections Reform. The wider project team also supported better data integrity to build customer trust through other tools, including a Network Planning Tool to reduce internal rework and a free open-source Python package to help smaller developers, researchers and students use network data more easily.
Jamie Bright, Data Science Manager at UK Power Networks, said, “Connections Lab is a brilliant example of our teams using data and innovation to solve real customer challenges. By making complex network insight easier to access and co-designing with customers, the team is helping developers make better decisions earlier and supporting the clean energy projects needed for net zero.
“This award is deserved recognition for the people behind the project, whose expertise, collaboration and customer focus are making a real difference.”
Chief executive, Basil Scarsella, said, “This year’s winners have demonstrated outstanding commitment, teamwork and innovation, helping us deliver an excellent service to 8.5 million homes and businesses. Congratulations to all our nominees and especially our winners and thank you to our 6,500 employees and their families for the contribution they make to UK Power Networks every day.”
