CLASS extension

The findings from the CLASS (Customer Load Active System Services) trials and surveys successfully proved that using CLASS techniques will make maximum use of the existing electricity network and does not affect customers’ perception of their electricity service. Our findings also show that if CLASS was rolled out across the whole of Great Britain, the scale of the change in instantaneous electricity demand would be greater than the output of an entire large coal-fired power station. This flexibility in electricity demand has the potential to radically change the way we keep the entire electricity system in balance, minute-by-minute.

While the project was very successful, in November 2015 Ofgem gave us the go-ahead to extend CLASS until May 2016, to demonstrate how this technology can be deployed commercially by distribution network operators (DNOs) to provide alternative frequency and enhanced reactive power services. DNOs do not currently participate in these markets and by demonstrating how this can be done and the value this creates for them and their customers, the project will accelerate the implementation of this approach across all DNOs and bring forward the expected £50 million worth of potential customer benefits identified by the original CLASS project more quickly.

The aim of this market modelling was to determine the benefit to customers in Great Britain of a network-led provision of CLASS services to the National Electricity Transmission System Operator (NETSO).

Baringa Partners were commissioned to assess the impact of CLASS capabilities. Their report summarises their findings and accompanies a public version of the cost benefit analysis tool developed as part of this work.

Overall Baringa concluded that while there is a degree of uncertainty over how CLASS will be deployed and how the markets for balancing services will evolve, it seems clear that there is significant potential for this technology to reduce consumer costs. In addition, the use of CLASS could result in material reductions in the CO₂ emissions associated with holding and utilising plant for the provision of balancing services. The impact on security of supply is less certain, but it would appear that the overall effect of delivering more dependable voltage control is a net positive for the security of the overall system.