Nature4Networks
Background
Electricity distribution networks are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as more severe and more frequent storms, flooding, and overheating. They also face a range of broader challenges, such as impacts to visual amenity, noise, and security. Whilst effective, traditional engineering solutions often exacerbate carbon emissions and lack holistic benefits. Recognising the need for more sustainable and resilient approaches, GHD and Frontier Economics, in collaboration with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), have recently delivered a project exploring nature-based solutions for protecting and enhancing electricity network assets.
The requirements
The Nature4Networks project aimed to identify nature-based solutions offering broader benefits, including flood resilience, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity enhancement, whilst ensuring asset performance. Key metrics include reduced operating costs, CO2 savings, and quantification of environmental externalities. Additionally, consumer and broader societal benefits, such as noise reduction, enhanced visual amenity, improved air quality, and elevated placemaking will be explored.
The solution
As part of the scoping study, GHD assessed SSEN’s distribution network for its assets and their key challenges and problems and analysed their fault data. Based on the results, GHD proposed a range of potential nature-based solutions options that could be applied to overcome the identified challenges, to provide protection against risks and enhance service reliability and delivery.
The project’s key outputs included assessing SSEN’s network assets for deploying nature-based solutions and developing various options, a high-level cost-benefit analysis model, and a report detailing barriers and opportunities for adopting nature-based solutions.
The outcome
The project has yielded significant insights and potential for tangible outcomes. It addresses the immediate challenges electricity networks face and paves the way for creating more sustainable and resilient electricity networks. By showcasing the feasibility and potential benefits of nature-based solutions, the project encourages innovation and sets a new standard for sustainable infrastructure development in the energy sector, as well as opening up the potential for novel investment streams.
To read more about the Nature4Networks project and to access the project’s discovery phase reports and documents, please visit here: https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/10105122/