London, 2 December 2011: Cable&Wireless Worldwide and Silver Spring Networks today announced that they have been selected by UK Power Networks as telecommunications partners for its forthcoming Flexible Plug and Play (FPP) Low Carbon Networks project. The £9.7million project has been awarded funding under Ofgem’s Low Carbon Network Fund and is set to form part of Ofgem’s ongoing commitment to making Britain’s electricity grid smarter.
The Flexible Plug and Play (FPP) project will develop a smart grid system in an area of 700km2 between Peterborough and the towns March and Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. The project will cost effectively connect and manage onshore wind generation utilising smart grid solutions, which will run over a fast, robust, pervasive IPv6-based communications network, to be deployed by Cable&Wireless Worldwide and Silver Spring Networks. The result will be a smart grid blue print which may be replicable nationwide.
The project will trial a number of innovative technical and commercial solutions, which will optimise network utilisation and manage network constraints in real time, enabling the most flexible and cost effective means of connecting renewable generation to be identified and provided. The project will also develop an investment modelling tool that determines when it makes best economic and carbon sense to reinforce the networks or use smart alternatives.
The collaboration will take advantage of Silver Spring’s secure IPv6-based radio frequency network infrastructure, software, and services, as well as Cable&Wireless Worldwide’s secure next-generation network and extensive experience in delivering highly complex, mission-critical communications networks and managed services.
The UK Government envisages major growth in onshore wind generation in order to meet renewables targets, reduce emissions and maintain security of supply. It also recognises however that a key challenge to deployment will be reducing the costs of integrating onshore wind into our electricity grid.
Patrick Razavet, Director of Utilities and Smart for Cable&Wireless Worldwide said: “The renewable energy targets set by government are leading to significant changes in the sources of energy generation, and how intermittent sources of generation are bought on stream and effectively managed. IP-based communications networks can overlay the existing grid reducing the structural burden of deploying renewables, whilst at the same time still providing operators access to the key information they need to effectively manage the distribution system.”
James Pace, Managing Director, UK & Ireland for Silver Spring Networks added: “Bringing renewables online quickly and cost effectively has never been more important. With UK Power Networks’ approach, intermittent sources of generation can be brought to bear rapidly, avoiding or deferring the cost of reinforcing the physical distribution network, all the while maintaining reliability; as such, Silver Spring is excited to be playing such a key role in this forward-looking project.”
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Contacts:
Cable&Wireless Worldwide:
Will Cameron
Head of Public Relations
+44 (0)7822 803 889
Silver Spring Networks:
Paul Young
Senior Account Manager
+44 (0)7585 301 459
Hannah Buckley
Consultant
+44 (0)20 3128 8116
Notes To Editors
The Flexible Plug and Play (FPP) Low Carbon Networks project will demonstrate:
- End to end IPv6 communications connectivity that is operationally effective for smart grid communications and delivery of a variety of smart grid applications
- Efficiency of IPv6-enabled networks for new control and network management systems – acting as a data carriage mechanism supporting the implementation of smart grid management systems.
- Implementation of IP-enabled communications proving that such communications provide the foundation for IEC61850 standard outside the substitution environment.
- The project will call for co-operation between many of the partner organisations selected by UK Power Networks, bringing together universities with small and large corporations. Close working between all of UK Power Networks’ partners will allow the demonstration of an integrated Smart Grid system including connection of renewable generation, and active network management.
About Cable&Wireless Worldwide
Cable&Wireless Worldwide (LSE: CW.) is a leading global telecoms company providing a wide range of high-quality managed voice, data, hosting and IP-based services and applications to large multinational companies, governments, carrier customers and resellers across the UK, Asia Pacific, India, Middle East & Africa, Continental Europe and North America. Established in the 1860s, Cable&Wireless Worldwide helps more than 6,000 organisations deliver their goals. The Group’s vision is to be the first choice for mission critical communications.
Reaching 20,500km in length, Cable&Wireless Worldwide owns the UK’s largest fibre network dedicated to business users of telecoms, and provides ubiquitous nationwide access through a combination of fibre, digital, microwave, radio and leased circuits. The network has presence in over 400 towns and cities in the UK, with 864 unbundled exchanges covering 56% of the population.
Internationally, Cable&Wireless Worldwide’s global next-generation network (NGN) stretches to more than 425,000km, including interests in 60 global cable systems, enabling connectivity to more than 150 countries. The Group’s IP-based Multi-Service Platform operates at the core of our NGN, offering a single environment on which voice and data applications can be converged to drive business efficiencies. Cable&Wireless Worldwide’s network is uniquely designed with inbuilt resilience.
With more than 6,000 colleagues globally, Cable&Wireless Worldwide is committed to delivering exceptional customer service and developing long term partnerships with its customers.
About Silver Spring Networks
Silver Spring Networks provides a leading networking platform and solutions that enable utilities to transform the power grid infrastructure into the smart grid, helping utilities to achieve operational efficiencies, reduce carbon emissions and empower their customers with new ways to monitor and manage their energy consumption. Silver Spring provides the hardware, software and services that allow utilities to deploy and run multiple smart grid solutions, including Advanced Metering, Distribution Automation and Demand Side Management, over a single, unified network. Silver Spring’s Smart Energy Platform is based on open, Internet Protocol (IPv6) standards, allowing continuous, two-way communication between the utility and devices on the grid. Silver Spring has numerous deployments with leading utilities around the world, including Baltimore Gas & Electric, CitiPower & Powercor, Florida Power & Light, Jemena Electricity Networks Limited, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pepco Holdings, Inc., and United Energy Distribution, among others. For additional information, please visit www.silverspringnet.com.
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