SSEN Transmission choose final alignment for a renewable energy development, with Optioneer™
Instead of 12 weeks normally required to undertake a similar task
Metrics exported out of Optioneer to help with assessment and reporting
Turn-around time for a new, full assessment of an alignment option with Optioneer
Introduction
SSEN Transmission is responsible for providing grid connections for renewable generation in the North of Scotland.
The current challenges of comprehensively assessing all grid connection route scenarios
New renewable energy connection requests means that new export connections are required, either as a reinforcement of an existing line or a new line. High volumes of work and a challenging consenting landscape result in risks of project delays and excessive demand on internal resources.
Why SSEN Transmission selected Optioneer
The Optioneer software automates assessment of individual route options and provides a collaborative platform for design and consenting of electricity transmission lines - overhead and underground.
Optioneer incorporates open-source data by default, which can be augmented with client data to automatically drive generation and evaluation of potential connection options.
Engineering, technical and cost parameters can be exported out of Optioneer and can be used in assessment, comparison, and selection of the final preferred option.
Outputs can be structured to match internal guidance and obtain results within minutes, which would normally take hours or days to export.
"Optioneer helped the project overcome a programme risk and provided detailed overhead line (OHL) alignment options for the proposed wind farm development. The process significantly reduced traditional timescales required for detailed OHL routing and the team at Continuum effectively adapted to the project needs, delivered on time and provided excellent support following the completion of the OHL alignment options"
How SSEN Transmission used Optioneer
In this project, finer resolution for analysis and more detailed data allowed to gain insight into alignment options before site visits and collect data during site visits more effectively.
Options refined after the site visit were all analysed against the same set of assessment metrics which followed internal reporting requirements of SSEN Transmission.
The result
The pilot of Optioneer on a 132kV wind farm extension project in Scotland yielded significant time savings (-60% of programme length) when used to help with selection of a preferred, detailed alignment.
The project timeline was compressed without compromising confidence in robust decision making.
Instead of 12 weeks normally required to undertake a similar task
Metrics exported out of Optioneer to help with assessment and reporting
Turn-around time for a new, full assessment of an alignment option with Optioneer
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