Hanson UK adopt smart approach to energy management

Partnership with Open Energi will see Dymamic Demand technology installed at 29 sites across the UK

DEMAND Response aggregators Open Energi are working in partnership with Hanson UK to install their Dynamic Demand technology at sites across the UK, delivering around 2MW of flexible capacity to National Grid. To date, Hanson UK have installed the technology at 14 sites, and are targeting a total of 29 sites through a phased roll-out.

Bitumen tanks and pumps used to dewater quarries are being fitted with Dynamic Demand, allowing them to intelligently shift their demand for energy in real time, reducing their consumption when UK electricity demand exceeds supply and increasing consumption when electricity supply exceeds demand.

This flexible demand helps National Grid to manage the system and supports the integration of more variable power sources such as wind and solar.

The technology has no impact on equipment performance and, in return, Hanson UK are paid for providing this service, which offers a cleaner, cheaper and smarter approach to grid balancing than peaking power stations.

In addition, Dynamic Demand provides sub-second metering data on equipment performance, providing new insight to drive operational efficiencies. Via Open Energi’s customized portal, Hanson UK are able to monitor, manage and compare the performance of sites and assets, helping them to spot maintenance issues, identify energy cost reductions and optimize site resources.

David Weeks, Hanson UK’s PR and communications director, said: ‘Our vision is to be recognized as a leading force in the delivery of a low-carbon built environment. Adopting Dynamic Demand is an important part of our drive to embed energy improvements across the business and is helping to build the smarter, more responsive energy system the UK needs to support our transition to a low-carbon economy.’

Chris Kimmett, commercial manager at Open Energi, added: ‘Demand Response is a game-changing evolution in the way we manage energy which gives businesses the insight and control they need to decide how, when and from where they consume their energy. We’re delighted to be working with Hanson UK to help them adopt a smarter approach to energy management.’

Demand Response has been identified as a key solution for future-proofing the UK’s electricity grid, and National Grid has launched Power Responsive to help deliver Demand Response at scale by 2020.