Completed Clean Energy Food & Agriculture

The development of dynamic energy control mechanisms for food retailing refrigeration systems

Funder InnovateUK (part of UKRI)
Recipient organisation Intelligent Maintenance Systems Limited
Funding £3.5M
Period Aug 2016 — Nov 2018

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

The National Grid is running on a 5% generating margin—the slimmest buffer between enough power and blackouts. Food retailers’ refrigeration systems, which consume 14% of all UK electricity, could be switched on and off in response to grid demand, but no one has yet demonstrated this safely at scale. The problem is that a supermarket’s network of fridges and freezers is spread across thousands of sites, and any change to their operation risks spoiling food. This project will build and test the control systems needed to link those refrigeration networks to demand-side response tariffs—mechanisms that pay businesses to reduce power use when the grid is strained. If it works, the cold chain could become a flexible, grid-stabilising asset without compromising food safety. That would help the UK integrate more renewable generation, which is inherently variable, and delay expensive upgrades to aging distribution infrastructure. The research is a practical demonstration, not fundamental science: it aims to prove that existing technology can be adapted for a new purpose, and to give industry the confidence to invest.

View original technical description
The National Grid is operating under a very narrow generating margin of 5%. Network distribution infrastructure is aging and expensive to replace. The Grid is being challenged by an ever increasing input of renewable generation systems which do not provide a consistent load. To stablise the Grid it is now a strategic priority to develop markets which help the Grid control demand as well as supply, so called demand side responses (DSR). However, large scale demonstration projects are required to establish industry interest and confidence in DSR mechanisms. In this demonstration we will develop and deliver systems which can enable food retailing refrigeration systems to be linked to DSR tariffs. This is a challenging project as food retailers are typically operating massive networks of machines distributed throuhgout the UK. Any changes to refrigerator operational perfromance must also be conducted without infringing or jeopardising food safety. However, safe delivery of DSR to food refrigeration systems could have significant impact. The cold chain in the UK is currently thought to consume 14% of all electricity generated.

View the original record at the funder ↗

Related Research

Grants with similar aims, by meaning.

Developing a dynamic demand smart grid proposition in commercial refrigeration using creative industries and controls manufacture
DD-DSM: Demonstration of Distributed Demand-side Management as a service to the UK grid operator
Optimised Demand Side Management for Flexible Operation of Smart Grids
Engaging Household Energy Savings and Demand Response Opportunities
Developing "The GenGame" domestic smart grid platform to endure and thrive over the long term

Original classification

Collaborative R&D

Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.