As GB warms due to climate change, uptake of Space Cooling (SC) is expected to increase significantly, leading to increased summer peak demands and greater network load for building comfort alongside the electrification of heat. However, SC demand is currently poorly accounted for in distribution network planning using limited modelling. Additionally, SC's potential to provide flexibility has not been considered. CoolDown will produce tools to enable network operators to understand the impact of SC at a local level. Trials of SC-tailored flexibility products will enable networks to mitigate adverse impacts, reduce network reinforcement requirements and optimise value for customers.

Linepack flexibility is key for Gas Transmission to provide system resilience by management of swings within operational limits. In a hydrogen world, we know our energy content per km of linepack will decrease by up to 76%. Therefore, embedded resilience systems in the form of lined rock shafts are being investigated to supplement loss in linepack capability. We envision systems if implemented for hydrogen transmission to act similar to how now decommissioned natural gas holders were utilised for operational flexibility, pressure regulation, supply/demand mismatch management, load balancing, emergency backup and production buffering.

As rural industries decarbonise, they may find this transition challenging. This is where Network operators can provide valuable support to help them make the right decisions. Rural networks are often characterised by radial circuits with limited capacity. These circuits are harder and more expensive to reinforce. RIDES will develop a tool to show rural industries their potential decarbonisation pathways. It will also help network companies to understand what their future investments needs will be, allowing efficient, coordinated investment by network companies and their customers. RIDES will smooth and accelerate the path to net zero for rural industry

The scale of investment required to capitalise on GB's abundant offshore-wind resource and decarbonise our economy by 2050 and power system by 2035 is vast. Developing the infrastructure to allow energy from these resources to reach consumers, whether electricity or hydrogen, is expensive, technically complex, creates system operability challenges and can be disruptive to communities. This project seeks to explore and develop an open-source standard framework to assess the impact of taking a cross-energy vector approach and co-locating assets offshore including on artificial islands -- with a view to addressing parts of challenges mentioned above and ultimately reducing costs to consumers.

As Britain warms due to climate change, electrification of heat will mean increasing customer access to Space Cooling (SC) leading to increased summer peak demands. In current distribution network planning cooling demand is currently poorly accounted for and based on limited, high-level modelling. Additionally, cooling's potential to provide flexibility during periods of network stress has not been considered. CoolDown will explore the impact of cooling on network capacity by producing improved uptake and demand projections as well as developing novel commercial arrangements to incentivise and unlock SC flexibility, reducing network reinforcement requirements and optimising value for customers.

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