Study to explore performance of renewables in business sector

SSE Energy Solutions has announced that it will fund Phd research into the performance of renewable technologies in the business sector at the University of Glasgow.

The government’s target of net zero emissions by 2050 has seen an unprecedented uptake by businesses in behind-the-meter renewable technologies such as solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage.

However, there are very few demonstrated studies critically analysing the performance of such solutions.

The research will analyse data from projects ranging from small businesses to large distribution operations. The three-year study will use digital twin technology to identify gaps in performance and routes to improvements.

SSE has described the research, which is being jointly funded by the University of Glasgow and the Energy Technology Partnership (ETP), as “the most detailed research ever conducted” into the performance of renewable technologies in this sector.

“We are delighted to work with SSE Energy Solutions on this exciting project, which brings together the University’s existing research on heat pumps with SSE’s vast trove of energy data to cast new light on how renewable technologies perform in the real world,” says Zhibin You, professor of thermal energy at the University of Glasgow.

“That will help us develop models and methods for energy users to maximise the uptake of renewable energy and minimise operational costs in the future. It’s a great opportunity for a PhD student to make a real contribution to how we make the transition to net-zero in the decades to come.”