On October 1 2024, National Grid ESO, Britain’s electricity system operator, became the new National Energy System Operator (NESO) – an independent, public corporation with additional responsibilities in operating and planning Britain’s electricity and gas networks.

The School of Mathematics has a strong track record of collaborating with NESO and has been involved in multiple research, innovation and advisory projects on topics such as security of supply, renewable energy integration, and energy market modelling.

The School looks forward to supporting NESO’s ambitious long-term goal of driving progress towards net zero while maintaining energy security and affordability for consumers.

Driving energy innovation

In the last five years, we have been successful in securing a variety of grants funded by Ofgem, Britain’s energy regulator, including from the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA). This provides financial support to network licensees, including NESO, to develop and implement new technologies and processes that can improve the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of energy delivery.

From December 2021 – July 2023, the School was the academic lead for the NIA-funded ‘Optimal outage planning system’ project led by Lars Schewe, Reader in Operational Research, which sought to improve the way maintenance and construction work on the electricity network is planned, and to better estimate the risks associated with planned outages.

Lars says, “By modelling the network and analysing its capacity, we developed a system that will allow NESO to evaluate outage requests quicker than before, using advanced mathematical tools to help make decisions faster. This project underscores the critical role that mathematics can play in addressing complex energy network challenges.”

We have also received funding through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), an Ofgem programme managed in partnership with Innovate UK that supports projects that will contribute to achieving net zero.

Chris Dent, Professor of Industrial Mathematics, has collaborated with NESO on a number of projects under NIA and SIF, including the provision of climate data, use of probabilistic forecasting in control room operations, and maintaining cyber security against future threats from quantum computing.

In addition to NESO, Chris collaborates with a number of other network companies on SIF and NIA-funded projects, including working with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks on technology to integrate offshore renewables, and National Grid Electricity Transmission and UK Power Networks on climate resilience, helping them develop strategies to strengthen energy infrastructure in preparation for extreme weather events caused by climate change, such as flooding and heatwaves.

Chris has been invited to one of the NESO launch events. He says, “I am excited to continue working with NESO as it expands its role under its new constitution as an independent public corporation. The mathematical sciences, in combination with other relevant disciplines such as engineering, economics and climate science, has a vital role to play in the energy transition, and I am very proud of the role that I have been able to play in developing this contribution with NESO’s predecessor and other energy bodies.”

World-leading energy systems expertise

Since the School’s first collaboration with NESO in 2016, our relationship has grown in scope and scale, covering research projects, workshops, consultancy and other innovation and knowledge exchange activities, with at least eight academics within the School’s ‘Data and Decisions’ theme having an active role in current and future projects.

Chris and Lars are internationally recognised as trusted experts in the field of energy systems, and the School has one of the largest concentrations of expertise in the world on the application of mathematical science methods to energy challenges.

Chris has consulted for NESO and Ofgem on security of supply and system planning, and has advised NESO and related organisations through the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences Knowledge Exchange Catalyst scheme. He also sits on the NESO Technology Advisory Council (TAC), which ensures NESO works closely with industry on the development of new systems, providing transparency and accountability for their development.

Lars sits on the ‘Control Room of the Future’ subgroup of the TAC which will make recommendations on how NESO needs to evolve the Electricity National Control Centre – Britain’s hub for electricity system operation – to meet the country’s future requirements.

Bernd Schroers, Head of the School of Mathematics, says, “As NESO enters this new chapter, our School is proud play a role in shaping the future of the energy system in Great Britain and beyond. Our world-leading experts in optimization, statistics and modelling are working closely with industry partners to achieve a cleaner, more secure, and more affordable energy system for all.”