Glasgow tech firm Smarter Grid Solutions powers up on AI

Glasgow-based Smarter Grid Solutions, the energy-focused software company, is using its artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve the forecasting of demand and generation on the electricity network.

Graham Ault, executive director at Smarter Grid Solutions. Picture: Contributed

The firm has used two forms of AI to raise the accuracy of the forecasts needed to run flexibility services.

Smarter Grid’s project for Western Power Distribution forms part of its electricity flexibility and forecasting systems (EFFS) project.

The company said that the results would be of interest to other distribution network operators (DNOs), particularly ScottishPower’s SP Energy Network’s Fusion project and Scottish and Southern Electricity Network’s Transition project, which are also looking at forecasting methods.

Graham Ault, co-founder of Smarter Grid Solutions, said: “The results from our forecasting models were very good, especially for the shorter timeframes.

“The accuracy levels achieved outperformed known forecasting methods used on other recent innovation projects, so these results are really pushing the industry forward.

“This is an exciting time for the electricity industry, with network operators making the transition from DNOs in the conventional network operator model to playing a more active management role as distribution system operators. We expect the outcomes, techniques and specific tools used in this project to be widely referred and utilised.”

Western Power Distribution operates in the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales.