Assessment of the impacts of the renewable energy and ICT driven energy transition on distribution networks

The shift to more renewable electricity generation, electrification of heating and transportation and the rise of ICT and energy storage lead to changes in the distribution of electricity. To facilitate the transition towards a clean sustainable power system distribution network operators are required to act proactively to these changes. To optimally capitalise on these changes it is imperative to have a clear and complete overview of the main developments and their effects on the distribution network. The technical, social, regulatory and economical effects of the renewable energy and ICT driven energy transition are discussed based on requirements which the distribution network should comply with. The discussed technologies all have effects on multiple requirements for the distribution network and the mitigation of unwanted effects should be assessed on these areas simultaneously. This can ensure that the future distribution network is best equipped to deal with the renewable energy and ICT driven energy transition. The overview of the requirements shows that the capacity, regulation and power quality are the main requirements which are affected by the renewable energy and ICT driven energy transition.