ENERGY NETWORKS | SMART GRIDS The GreenSCIES ambient heat loop will deliver extremely efficient, low carbon heating and cooling while ensuring the system remains in balance thermally TO ARCHWAY Intelligence networks Smart energy projects are being piloted in the UK to find out how buildings and infrastructure can be connected intelligently to provide low carbon heat and electricity. Andy Pearson reports on two pilots: GreenSCIES in Islington and Energy Superhub Oxford T he increasing proportion of Grid electricity generated from renewables is continuing to drive down its carbon intensity which is good news for the environment. The downside, however, is that sources of renewable energy such as wind and solar are intermittent; the more the Grid is dependent on renewables, the more likely it is that there will be large variations in the amount of electricity available. The situation will be made worse by the progressive move to electric vehicles and the increasing use of heat pumps to provide heating and cooling for buildings, as well as the potential increase in peak loads on the network, making it even more difficult to balance generation with demand. In Islington, London, the Green Smart Community Integrated Energy System (GreenSCIES) has been launched as one of a tranche of projects assessing the feasibility of using local energy systems in towns and cities to help balance grid demand, improve sustainability and tackle fuel poverty. In Oxford, Energy Superhub a project using giant batteries is under construction, with a similar aim. GreenSCIES, Islington GreenSCIES has just started its twoyear design phase. When complete, it is projected to deliver low carbon heat and power to an estimated 10,000 Islington residents in 3,500 homes, and up to 70 42 May 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE May20 pp42-44 Supp Energy network pilots.indd 42 24/04/2020 16:34