We're leading the way to provide more capacity more quickly for new-build housing estates and the low carbon technologies they need.

  • Along with our partners, we're ready to trial a new ‘Community Smart Access’ option to speed-up electricity connections for new net zero housing estates.
  • This will use ‘Dynamic Load Averaging’, developed in conjunction with the Local Energy Markets Alliance (LEMA)
  • The option will support increased take-up of Low Carbon Technologies like EVs, solar panels, and heat pumps in new-build housing developments.

Together with the Local Energy Markets Alliance (LEMA), the new option aims to manage electricity demand locally, while longer-term reinforcements to the electricity system are completed.  Community Smart Access will use Dynamic Load Averaging (DLA) to accelerate the deployment of Low Carbon Technologies like heat pumps, EV chargers, rooftop solar panels and battery storage in new homes.

The growing uptake of these technologies is welcome, though it comes at a time when capacity on existing networks is at times constrained. We're leading the way in strategic development to provide much more capacity for the coming decades and to meet net zero targets, and solutions like Community Smart Access will help to bridge the gap in the shorter term.

A smart solution to increase capacity

Put simply, Community Smart Access is designed to enable us to procure and pay for flexibility services that it knows it will need once a new housing estate is built, meaning construction can go ahead, even in areas where the grid is more congested.

We're developing this service so that it builds on - and aligns with - all the industry developments to date. This includes the development of Access Products and Flexibility Services, as detailed in SSEN’s Flexibility Roadmap.

Nigel Bessant, SSEN Distribution’s Head of Network Operations says:

“The UK and Scottish Governments both want to see more new homes built, while also decarbonising the grid. A massive part of getting to net zero involves moving away from gas boilers and cars powered by fossil fuels to low-carbon alternatives like heat pumps and EVs.

“Community Smart Access gives us a new option to accelerate the connection of new housing, with customers benefiting from Low Carbon Technologies like heat pumps, EV chargers, rooftop solar panels and battery storage.

“LEMA members Traxis Energy, ElectraLink and Gemserv have collaborated with us to turn the Dynamic Load Averaging concept into an effective, efficient, scalable proposition, to be trialled this year, after which we hope it can be adopted more widely.

“SSEN will be exploring this proposal further through our Stakeholder Engagement events in 2025 and is keen for housing developers to register at https://www.ssen.co.uk/about-ssen/stakeholder-engagement/”.

Simon Anderson, CEO of LEMA says:

“The DLA is a crucial accelerator in the race to unlock congested grids and enable the development of much-needed all-electric homes. Local energy infrastructure is a fundamental enabler for building 1.5m new homes and a dozen new towns.

“At the same time, building well-insulated all-electric homes as part of greening the grid is a fantastic opportunity to also minimise energy bills, maximise sustainability and enhance energy security. Amplifying flexibility is the way to achieve this, which is what the Dynamic Load Averaging Service is designed to achieve.”