Traditionally, large power stations are used to energise the higher voltage transmission network in the unlikely event of a partial or total shutdown of the electricity system, followed by a ‘top-down’ restoration of demand at lower voltages.

The National Grid ESO conducted a trial in Galloway, south-west Scotland, which saw a hydro generator connected to the distribution network self-start, energise the local transmission and distribution network, and power up wind turbines on two wind farms within an isolated test network.

While there has never been a need to restart the electricity system from scratch, the success of the trial creates a blueprint for incorporating distributed, green energy sources as a tool for firing up Britain’s electricity system.

The three-year Ofgem-funded Distributed ReStart project has been trialling a ‘bottom-up’ approach by utilising renewables such as solar, wind or hydro, to fire up the electricity system. Its aim is to...