Demonstration facilty
This unique facility provides regional businesses with the opportunity to test and demonstrate their energy technologies. Such a facility is difficult to access for many SMEs. In particular it provides a test bed facility for the development of distributed smart energy networks. It will provide regional businesses the facility to test and demonstrate energy technologies they are developing in the context of a live and managed electrical networks of the future. As the UK energy system becomes more distributed (ie increased local energy generation from multiple sources) it will be necessary for commercially available, small and micro energy generation devices to be robust under these operating conditions. This micro-grid will be a realistic representation of such conditions.
Furthermore, the network can encompass energy facilities in any location so has the potential to become a leading facility in the UK and a national showcase. The longer term vision is to connect energy generators and users from around Notitngham and elsewhere to form a highly flexible, distributed but well-defined energy self-sufficient community. The facility would offer universities and industry opportunities for research and demonstration of both the individual technologies and the system and provide a showcase facility for engagement with the public and promotion to local and national government.
