Export limiting schemes

We said we would review our policy on the use of export limiting schemes on our network.

“I would like an update on your position regarding the control of renewable energy installatons in terms of export capacity. Currently we do not appear to be allowed to install a system larger than the network could manage at maximum output conditions and no self-use. We would like to offer this to our clients as soon as practicable.” 
Ian Reynolds, Boston Renewables. 

Acting on the comment from Ian Reynolds of Boston Renewables and the work we were involved in nationally, we made a commitment to review our policy on the use of export limiting schemes.

An export limiting device is a system that can be installed to manage the output of a generator to ensure it does not exceed an agreed limit. Other customers had also raised this issue and we were already participating in a national working group to develop a GB standard solution for export limiting schemes.

Based on customer feedback, and after a full review in 2016, we revised our policy in advance of the national working group completing its work and decided to allow the use of export limiting schemes on our network. From domestic to high voltage, all of our customers now have the ability to propose the use of export limiting devices for DG connections. The revised policy was published on our website, along with a series of FAQs explaining why and how customers might use export limiting schemes.

This outcome was communicated for the first time at our Connections Customer Forum in May 2016 and our team also highlighted it as an example of how we are acting on customer feedback at our ICP Seminar in October 2016 and in our stakeholder newsletter. Export limiting schemes were also covered in our connecting innovative technologies workshop in March 2017.

Following the publication of Engineering Recommendation G100-Technical Guidance for Customer Export Limiting Schemes – we now accept schemes that comply with either our original policy or the new national document.

• Code of Practice on the installation of customer Export Limitation Schemes 
• FAQs on the use of Export Limiting Schemes