How will smart grids change the UK energy system?

This is a very insightful discussion.

From my perspective as an Electrical Engineer (MIET) currently researching AI-driven predictive maintenance for power systems, I see smart grids as a key enabler for moving from reactive to data-driven reliability strategies.

The real-time data layer mentioned is particularly important, as it creates opportunities for early fault detection, load forecasting, and condition-based maintenance across distributed assets.

I’m especially interested in how utilities in the UK are handling challenges around data quality, communication reliability, and integration with legacy infrastructure as these seem critical for scaling smart grid solutions effectively.

It would be great to hear from anyone involved in practical deployment or system operation in this area.

David.

The national grid statistics are on line but not in at all clear format see    https://grid.iamkate.com/  .  There are others no doubt which will show the generation data more clearly. 

We need about 20% base load from nuclear 24 hours per day.  If windy at night we can use pumped storage hydro and solar in days to boost the renewables but the remainder will be generated from gas/oil power plants

around the country. 

Possibly we should build chain grate incinerators power stations with chimney scrubbers to burn all plastic, cardboard, wood etc locally to reduce transport costs and costly shipping to poor countries pretending to be environmentally friendly.

Here are a couple of others:

https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

https://electricinsights.co.uk/#/dashboard?period=1-month

Thanks good one

CliveS said:

Possibly we should build chain grate incinerators power stations with chimney scrubbers to burn all plastic, cardboard, wood etc locally to reduce transport costs and costly shipping to poor countries pretending to be environmentally friendly.

But that would leave us having to import stuff that we could have recycled ourselves.

Some things are actually reasonably practical to recycle, while others are essentially worthless because they are horrible composites.o

Hi Simon,

Why recycle plastics which can be burnt to reclaim the oil based fuel with minimum handling and transport.

I certainly do not want any recycled plastic products if I can have new clean plastic.  No risk then of contamination or causing a pandemic.  

Because then we don't have to keep giving all our money to the oil industry, when they are actively trying to harm our World.

Recycled plastics are all around us these days.  Ever noticed that clear plastic bottles often aren't water clear any more?  They are a little grey.  That's because they hace a significant proportion of recycled plastic in them.

But you can use the right reycled plastics for all sorts of things these days: carpets, fleecy clothes, artificial wood that doesn't rot, and many more.  Why burn it when it's so useful?

But you have to transport the old plastic, sort it and then reload and transport it to factory who then have to clean it and grind it up before it can mixed with 90% or so new plastic for heating in the moulding machine.

Surely that is extremely expensive recycle cost comparted with just using new plastic thus saving triple handling and transportation costs.

But you have to transport the old plastic, sort it and then reload and transport it to factory who then have to clean it and grind it up before it can mixed with 90% or so new plastic for heating in the moulding machine.

Surely that is extremely expensive recycle cost comparted with just using new plastic thus saving triple handling and transportation costs.

A lot of the time we only use plastics because they are cheaper than the organic alternatives. If oil becomes more scarce and expensive, and certainly by the time we decide not to burn it based on price, we will probably decide that cotton or wool is once again competitive relative to nylon or whatever, or that sandwiches can be sold in paper bags.

The reason we collect and recycle plastics is because it is an almost free waste product of our profligacy with the stuff right now, and we have to do something with it to reduce what  is really a waste mountain problem. Once this ceases to be true, use will adapt. 
Things that really have to be plastic, will be slightly pricier ,and maybe more sensibly recycled.

Meanwhile we might as well burn what we cannot recycle well, in controlled way that allows management of the pollution, and perhaps encourage polythene and polypropylene, that both recycle and burn fairly cleanly, over things that liberate hydrochloric acid gas (PVC) and cyanide (some polyurethanes and some vinyls)..


Mike.