In order to meet the increasing electricity demand and at the same time avoid costly infrastructure upgrades, the E.ON Innovation team developed a trailblazing solution. It allows Distribution System Operators (DSOs) to host new sustainable technologies – such as photovolatic (PV) solar panels, without need to upgrade the grid.

The solution employs an intelligent peak load management system: by managing on-site power consumption and generation, the system ensures that renewable energy is supplied to as many homeowners as possible. At the same time peak loads on the local distribution network are reduced, thus ensuring that the available capacity of the electrical substation is not exceeded.

Based on network capacity, regulations and location-specific planning conditions, the solution is adaptable to individual customer requirements.

With the solution provided by E.ON Innovation, increasing the efficient use of our existing power network infrastructure becomes viable. This is done through active monitoring of energy flows and intelligent control of devices to manage the peak load on the local distribution network.

In a pilot project with Cala Homes, Energy Assets and SP Energy Networks, 70 new homes implementing the new solution and thus meeting the sustainable building regulations are being built at Maidenhill, near Glasgow.

Initially, the project is geared towards exporting electricity from solar photovoltaic systems. In the future, air source heat pumps shall also be controlled with this solution.

Without the system provided by E.ON innovation, around £7,000 of additional costs per home across the wider home development project (which consists of 800 homes in total) would've been required.