An 'innovative project' from East Lancashire's power provider to study and manage climate change's impact on electricity networks has received a 'significant funding boost.'

Electricity North West's 'CoolDown' project has been granted £500,000 in innovation funding to investigate how homes and businesses can use air conditioning systems flexibly.

This approach is designed to help balance electricity demand throughout the day, reducing the need for additional infrastructure.

Neil McClymont, head of innovation at Electricity North West, said: "Due to the effects of climate change, we’re seeing an increase in the use of air conditioning in homes and offices, which could add additional strain to the electricity grid at peak times.

"Rather than just build a bigger network, which would be disruptive and expensive for billpayers, this project will help us understand and manage the impact in the most efficient way, managing extra demand through innovative voluntary contracts, which could also save customers money."

The CoolDown project is funded by energy network users and consumers through the Strategic Innovation Fund, an Ofgem programme managed in partnership with Innovate UK.

The project is set to be delivered by Electricity North West along with Guidehouse Europe, UCL Consultants, Impact Research, Oaktree Power, and National Grid Electricity Distribution.

'Expert assessors' have stated that the project "has a clear potential to deliver benefits to consumers as it could incentivise flexibility around cooling, which offers financial benefits to consumers and would reduce the need for network investment costs at the same time."

The fund supports network innovation that will contribute to achieving net zero rapidly and at the lowest cost, delivering real net benefits to network companies, energy users, and consumers.

Electricity North West's previous innovation projects, CLASS and Smart Street, could 'save customers more than a billion pounds from their energy bills if rolled out nationwide.'

To learn more about the CoolDown project and other innovation projects, visit Electricity North West's website.