Green technologies raise voltage challenges for DNOs
The new era of intermittent generation and fast-changing customer demand is raising fresh challenges across the grid, says Dr Jon Hiscock, CEO of voltage experts Fundamentals. The connection of wind and solar generators to the grid, plus the rise of heat pumps of electrical vehicles, are increasingly affecting network voltages. The results include bad experiences for consumers, and growing concern among operators about maintaining compliance. For example, one of our DNO clients called us recently to tackle the problem of a customer who could not charge their electric car. The voltage they supplied was too high, tripping out the EV charger safety circuits. Our motorist’s problem was that they live in a housing development with a lot of rooftop solar panels, causing voltage surges in their…
